


Glowing Green

by FMB



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Dry Humping, Grinding, M/M, Masturbation, Mutual Masturbation, Rimming, Voyeurism, time au, triolism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-10
Updated: 2014-11-17
Packaged: 2018-02-24 20:28:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 41,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2595404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FMB/pseuds/FMB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Numbers count down to the moment one meets their life partner... but for those without the luxury of a life partner, for those like Jack Frost, life was empty and unforgiving. Those born a solus would never have a life partner, and they would never know true love. Except for Jack.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Birth

All he could see was a faint light glowing through something opaque and orange, but only just barely. Red branched through the orange, pulsing in time with the deep, gentle beating surrounding him. The sound of water rushing through his ears was there, but he was so used to it that he barely noticed. He felt his fingers move, squeezing against his palms, then relaxing. His legs stretched, then bent back in when his feet pressed against whatever he was inside. He heard something, it was muffled and incoherent, but it made his heart race.

Suddenly, there was pressure all around him. He thought about holding his breath, but his lungs didn’t dare. The pressure was gone for a moment, but it came back with a vengeance, squeezing and shoving and pushing him until suddenly it was too bright and too loud and there was something  _ screaming _ .

He didn’t realize it was himself until he felt his throat sting with its very first use. He wheezed, eyes refusing to open, and he cried again, unsure if he wanted to be here or back with the orange-red light.

He felt arms cradle him, the slide of cloth against his disgusting skin, and a woman’s voice came to his ears, happy and tired and all sorts of love lining her words.

“Oh, he’s gorgeous….” She whispered, fingers brushing down his cheek, prompting his eyes to open once, then squeeze shut again when his pupils couldn’t handle the light.

“My baby,” She continued to whisper, fingers brushing along his cheeks, “My little baby.”

\----------

With a gasp, Jack bolted upright in his bed, skin slicked with sweat and shirt sticking to his back. His heart was racing and his hands shook as he struggled to get the damp piece of clothing off, throwing it onto the floor. His chest heaved with each breath, and he tried his best to gather himself. He pressed his hands against his face, the heel of his palm digging into his eye sockets until sparks of white shot across his vision, then he threw himself back down against the bed. The dream was already escaping him, but he was  _ so sure _ it was important. He had felt… happy. Impatient, almost. And he was definitely thrilled, if his heart rate was anything to go by. He didn’t understand it at all, and he doubted he would since now all he could remember was a constant mantra of  _ ‘My baby, my little baby’ _ in a voice of a woman he’s never met before.

His arm sock grew itchy, but he didn’t tug it off. It was damp as well, but he’d rather be uncomfortable than be forced to stare at a set of twelve bright red zeroes. He rubbed the cloth against the skin just around the numbers, sighing when it did nothing to ease his discomfort.

Jack stayed lying on the bed, eyes staring at the ceiling, fingers digging into the arm sock in an attempt to relieve the stinging, and mind racing. He knew where he was, he knew what he had done yesterday, and he was pretty sure he knew how he got here, but what he didn’t know was whether or not a certain someone was home.

A loud clattering of pots and pans from the kitchen told Jack that yes, that certain someone was definitely home. He knew that someone would only get upset at Jack if he stayed in bed for longer than he was supposed to, and with a quick glance at the time, he saw it was nearing ten o’clock. Jack closed his eyes for a minute longer, then peeked one eye open, staring at the green numbers again. When they had only changed the last digit, Jack sighed, then muttered jealously, “At least  _ you _ work.”

He pushed himself up from the bed, his legs only a little wobbly and his arms no longer shaking. He picked up his shirt and tugged it back on, grimacing when the cloth slid disgustingly against his skin. When he was redressed, he stepped out of the dark bedroom and into the sunlight-filled living room, eyes squinting at the sudden brightness.

“Jeez, did you open a window for once?” Jack commented loudly enough for the man in the kitchen to hear him and, in response, snort.

“First you complain that it’s too dark, and now you’re complaining that it’s too bright. You are a hard man to please, Jack Frost.” The man called out from the kitchen with a sarcastic tone, obviously bored of Jack’s presence already. The brunet rolled his eyes and stepped into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around the taller, tan-skinned torso and resting his cheek against his shoulder, where it fell against naturally.

“I’m not complaining. I’m just surprised.” Jack corrected him, smiling up at the man who glared his golden-brown eyes at him.

“Everything is surprising to a simpleton like you.” He remarked coldly, and Jack felt his heart ache. His lips tugged down and he turned his head away from the man’s sight, staring instead at what he was cooking. Seeing he had been insulted, the man rolled his eyes and decided to add, “Yet you still keep me wrapped around your finger. How embarrassing.”

With a smile, Jack replied, “I’m telling you, Pitch, something about me just drags men like you in.”

“I’ll bet you it starts with an ‘a’.” Pitch muttered, and when Jack turned a curious brow towards him, he finished, “And ends with ‘ _ ss _ ’.”

“It’s a curse, sometimes. I’m always afraid I’ll end up with something like you.” Jack huffed, letting go of Pitch and heading to the living room.

“Keep on walking, Frost, I’m enjoying myself.” Pitch called out after him, earning the middle finger. Jack flopped down on the couch, feet kicked over one armrest, his head resting on the other. He stretched his arms out, back arching, then flopped down in a relaxed pose with a sigh.

“I had the weirdest dream,” Jack decided to call out, scratching his stomach through his shirt, then lifting it and scratching again when it did nothing, “I think I was given birth to.”

“Odd, if I recall correctly, something like you could only be achieved through test tube.”

“You keep interrupting me and I’ll bite your dick off the next time I have you in my mouth.” Jack threatened, throwing Pitch another middle finger, though he was sure the man had his back turned to him.

“Just saying.” Pitch muttered, and Jack made a loud chomping noise, his teeth clacking together with each bite.

“Oh no, what’s that ugly, tall, old lady running around for?” Jack called out in a high-pitched voice, “I don’t know, Cheryl, but she sure needs a tampon.” He said next in a deeper voice, crossing his arms over his chest.

“If that’s supposed to be the neighbor’s reaction to you biting my dick off, I’d say you have their voices down to a ‘t’.” Pitch chuckled, plating the eggs and bacon he was cooking and bringing it to Jack, slapping the thin ankles until he moved his feet. He sat on the couch, handing Jack his plate and a fork, and the two of them began to eat.

Halfway through the meal, Pitch spoke with slightly puffed cheeks, the back of his hand blocking his mouth from view, “So you were given birth to?”

“Yeah,” Jack spoke, mouth filled with food and no hand to contain any kind of decency, “I don’t remember too much, but the woman kept crying ‘ _ my baby, my little baby! _ ’ I have no clue who she was. She definitely wasn’t my mom.”

Pitch opened his mouth to speak, but Jack beat him to it with an irritated, “If you mention the test tube one more time I swear to God, Pitch, I will shove this fork so far up your—“

Pitch’s phone began to beep, making the man groan and stand, interrupting Jack’s threat, “I have to go to work. Come on, you have to go home.”

“Can’t I just wait for you?” Jack whined, sitting up and shoveling the rest of the food into his mouth so he didn’t have to waste it.

“You are waiting for me. At your house. Like always.” Pitch said with a slightly disgusted smirk, watching Jack inhale the rest of the food, then handing him his own plate, “Wash these and get out.”

“You’re so mean to me.” Jack huffed, snatching Pitch’s plate and heading towards the sink, “One day I’m going to leave you.”

“That’ll be the day I’ll smile again.” Pitch called back, standing from the couch as well and going into the bedroom to get dressed.

“Har, har, har.” Jack fake-laughed, turning on the faucet and reaching to tug his arm sock off. He hesitated, though, his fingers twisted around the edge of the blue-white striped cloth. He hated looking at it, hated the zeroes with a passion. He knew he really shouldn’t be embarrassed of them, he knew there were others like him—Pitch, for example, had twelve zeroes too…

But still, being a  _ solus _ made him inferior, unimportant. He was born with zeroes across his arm, and he was going to die with the same red numbers leering at him, the sign of a life wasted. There was no point for him to be here; he didn’t have a life partner out there for him. That’s what the numbers counted down to if you were a halfer—someone whose clock worked, someone who actually had theirs counting down.

People weren’t supposed to judge you on being a  _ solus _ , though. That’s what Jack was told when he was a child. He was just like everyone else, just as smart and useful and needed. The only thing he didn’t learn until high school was that being a  _ solus _ meant that he would never be in love. He would never have the perfect relationship, unlike all those halfers who found their life partners.

That didn’t stop him from trying, of course. He wasn’t happy, he didn’t think he ever would be, but what he and Pitch had… well, it was better than nothing…

“Are you just going to stand there or are you going to stop wasting my water and get out?” Pitch’s voice came from the living room, making Jack snap back to reality. He quickly turned off the taps, grimacing at the two dirty plates still in the sink, but he ignored it for now. Pitch would just get angry at him either way.

Jack rushed to the front door, pulling on his shoes and tugging the door open, only to be stopped by a large hand. The door slammed shut again, and Pitch was on him in an instant, shoving Jack against the door and sealing their lips together. Jack grunted, not always one for roughness, but he knew Pitch liked it. He wrapped his arms around Pitch’s neck, deepening the sloppy kiss goodbye, and letting out a pitiful whine when Pitch tugged away.

“Get out.” He said in a low voice, and Jack rushed to follow his orders. Once outside, the door slammed shut behind him, and Jack took a deep breath. He glanced over, seeing John and Cheryl on their porch, looking at him. With a bright smile, Jack waved, but he didn’t get one back.

“Time to make this walk of shame look good.” Jack muttered to himself, readjusting his shirt, making sure his arm sock was on all the way, then he walked towards his car, tugging out his keys and fumbling with the lock for a moment. He muttered curses to himself as he tugged the rusty Honda door open, then slipped in and slammed it shut, taking another breath.

“Fffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu _ uuuuuuuuuuuuucccccckkkkkkkk _ …” He whined, dropping his forehead down on the wheel. So much for a good-looking walk of shame. So much for anything, really. He knew it was hopeless, but he really was trying to make this thing he had with Pitch take off somehow. With the way Pitch acts, though, it looked like that would be impossible…

He sat upright, then pulled on his seat belt before he started the car. He pulled away from the curve before Pitch came out; he didn’t want to exchange any more words with the man today. The drive home was quick, but it was still twenty minutes, and when Jack was back in his own house, he immediately began to strip. He felt sweaty and dirty and overall pretty crappy and his arm was  _ still _ itchy.

He threw his shirt onto the couch, his pants over the lamp, his boxers in his room, and kicked his shoes and socks off right in front of the bathroom door. He stepped inside, not caring to shut the door behind him, and he turned on the water, grimacing when it came out brown at first.

After striking the shower head a few times, the water started coming out clear, and Jack let out a tired sigh. He should probably be worried about that, but it wasn’t like he had any money to call someone in. Being a  _ solus _ didn’t exactly get him a job that easily. People often felt like they had to make room for those who would have to support a family or a spouse in the future, so any and all  _ solus _ es were typically kicked to the curb.

Honestly, Jack was still surprised Pitch still had a job. He never questioned it and Pitch never talked about it, but a job was a job, and Pitch must have been pretty damn good at it if they never questioned his presence.

Jack squeezed his eyes shut and tugged off his arm sock, laying that across the sink counter. He didn’t want to look, but he had to peek one eye open to make sure he didn’t slip while he stepped into the shower.

His eyes caught something flicker, and he immediately turned towards the ceiling light, staring at it for a minute before deciding he was probably imagining things. He didn’t need his electricity cut, nor did he particularly need a broken light. When the bulb didn’t flicker again, he sighed in relief and stepped under the water, closing his eyes again and running his fingers through his hair.

Another flicker, even through his eyelids, and Jack glared at the ceiling lamp again, waiting for a bit longer this time. When he saw another flicker, his chest tightened. Instead of the yellow light briefly blinking out, it was a green light coming from the right of him. Slowly, his eyes rolled to his arm, raised so his hand could reach his hair, and what he saw nearly made his heart stop.

It did make him scream, though, and it definitely made him stumble back against the tile wall, then slip down to the bottom of the tub. His screams turned into sobs, then finally disbelieving laughter. He wasn’t sure if he was still crying or if it was just the shower water running down his face, but he didn’t care right now. He didn’t even care that his neighbor was slamming their fist against the wall to try and shut him up. He kept laugh-sobbing, his arm held out in front of him as the clock ticked down in green numbers.

_ 07:04:26:13:44:32 _

_ :31 _

_ :30 _

His slightly deranged laughter petered into a desperate whimper, and he held his arm close to his chest, not daring to look away lest it be some trick of the mind. The green glowed against his skin, still counting down. A thought crossed his mind,  _ is this even possible? _ From what he had been told throughout his entire life was, no. This wasn’t. No one had ever been born a  _ solus _ , only to get their numbers in their twenties. At least, it wasn’t recorded. Sure, some people were born a  _ solus _ and switched to a halfer, but that only happened between birth and the age of five. After that, it’s permanent…

Jack’s eyes were beginning to sting, and he had to squeeze them shut to rehydrate them. When he opened them again, he let out a broken laugh, seeing the green numbers still blinking at him. He ran his fingers over the numbers, practically feeling the light ooze warmth into his skin, and he let out another choked laugh.

He had to tell somebody….

He had to tell Pitch.

He felt his heart freeze up at the thought. Pitch was always irritable, but what would he do if Jack really  _ did _ break it off with him? Sure, Pitch always talked about going their own ways, he  _ knew _ they would just break up with each other in the end… They were  _ solus _ es, it never would have worked anyways…

But now… Now Jack had a chance to be happy. He had a chance to be needed, to be loved, to be himself.

He took a slow breath.

Rose to his feet.

Shut off the water.

He had to tell Pitch.

He reached for his arm sock, then hesitated. Biting his lip, he grabbed the towel instead, stepping out from the tub and rubbing his body dry before rushing to grab his pants. He paused then, too, then went to his bedroom and dressed in new clothes. Pitch should be gone by now, probably already at work, and Jack didn’t have a key to his apartment.

He dressed himself, then sat on the couch, pushing yesterday’s pants to the floor and staring at his arm, whispering the number of seconds as is continued to count down. He was mesmerized by the numbers, the feeling of each second ticking by in time with his breath. He swore he felt the muscles in his arm twitch whenever the number changed. He wondered what happened, why he suddenly has a life partner waiting out there for him.

He stretched out across the couch, laying on his side with his right arm in front of his face, eyes rarely blinking as they tried to commit every fading second to memory. Before he knew it, it was dark outside and Jack was hungry. He decided the time on his arm wouldn’t revert back to zeroes any time soon, so he tore his eyes away and got up, going to his kitchen to make himself something to eat.

A beeping noise coming from yesterday’s pants alerted Jack that he had a message. He ignored it for now, focusing on making himself a rather hefty ham-bacon-cheese-and-mayo sandwich that would fill him up nicely. His eyes kept sticking to his forearm, but he did his best to keep himself moving. He didn’t want to starve to death now that he knew there was someone out there for him.

He let out a giddy laugh at that thought. There really  _ was _ someone out there, wasn’t there…?

He brought the sandwich with him back to the couch, and after having heard at least three beeps from his phone as he made himself dinner, he decided to finally reply to whoever was blowing him up.

_ ‘You didn’t wash those dishes, asshole.’ _ Pitch wrote him, making Jack roll his eyes and bite into his sandwich. Great, now he definitely  _ was _ angry.

Jack was surprised to realize he didn’t really care.

_ ‘Are you coming over tonight or what?’ _ Pitch sent next, barely waiting five minutes between his first message to ask. Jack snorted, then flipped to the next one.

_ ‘Jack?’ _

_ ‘Are you coming over?’ _

_ ‘Come over.’ _

“Well,  _ some _ one’s needy.” Jack chuckled, but his laughter was hollow. He knew he had to end this thing with Pitch. He couldn’t be tied down when he met his life partner, even if they’ll only meet seven years from now. He ran his fingers across the buttons on his phone, trying to figure out what to say.

He took another bite of his sandwich, then set it down on the armrest so he could type out two messages.

_ ‘On my way over.’ _

_ ‘We need to talk’ _

He closed his eyes and put his phone on the couch, then groped for his sandwich, bringing it to his lips and biting down on it, moaning at the taste. He didn’t expect it when his phone began to ring, and he nearly dropped his sandwich at the shock. He picked it up, seeing it was Pitch, then huffed and slammed the answer button.

“Yeah-lo?” Jack answered, even though he knew who it was.

“Talk.” Pitch ordered, his voice gruff and the sound of something sizzling audible in the background.

“Huh?”

“You said we needed to talk, so talk.” Pitch explained, and Jack snorted.

“I meant in person, you dope. It’s… it’s sort of important.” Jack murmured, and Pitch fell quiet. A few minutes passed before Jack clicked his tongue, feeling awkward over the phone, “Look, I’m on my way over, we’ll talk soon, okay?”

“Just tell me what it is now.” Pitch sounded like he was pleading, and Jack chewed on his lip at the idea. This was… actually pretty hard.

“I’ll be there real soon, okay?” Jack repeated, getting up and putting the rest of his sandwich in the fridge, “We’ll talk in person.”

With that, he hung up and headed for his car, rushing back to Pitch’s house. Now that it was six, there was traffic, so what took him twenty minutes before took nearly forty now. Jack was practically screaming at the other drivers to hurry, but somehow he kept calm, particularly whenever he spied the ticking green light on his arm. He nearly ran a red light admiring the numbers.

When he finally pulled up to Pitch’s house, Jack took a few slow breaths, then got up and headed for the door. Out on the lawn of the neighbor’s yard knelt John, pulling weeds out from the edges of his plot. Jack lifted his right arm, waving at John happily. John looked up, then back down, only to jerk his head back up at the sight of green on Jack’s previously covered arm. His mouth worked dumbly, then he jumped up to his feet and clapped his hands down on his head, his sun hat flattening down around his face. Jack found his reaction amusing, laughing as John grinned at him. With a sudden vigor, John began to wave back, his own arm simply glowing green zeroes, meaning he had found his life partner—Cheryl—a long time ago.

Jack laughed again, then continued towards Pitch’s front door, not at all caring that John was watching him. He was accepted now. He was a halfer. He was needed.

Jack knocked twice, his right arm carefully pinned to his side as the door opened.

“Finally.” Pitch huffed, stepping aside and letting Jack in, “You know I hate waiting.”

“Oh, do I know it.” Jack chuckled, stepping inside and crossing his arms over his chest, glancing down at them to make sure the green wasn’t visible. He wasn’t going to hide it forever, but he thought it would be best to let Pitch down easily.

Pitch walked to him, putting his hands on Jack’s shoulders and leaning down for a kiss, which Jack happily gave him. When they pulled away, Pitch looked into his eyes, trying to guess what was on his mind before the twenty-year-old said anything.

“So what do we need to talk about?” Pitch asked, gesturing towards the couch for Jack to sit. Jack did, and Pitch sat beside him, frowning when he realized Jack was still crossing his arms. He brushed his fingers against Jack’s cheek, trying to relax him. Of course, seeing Jack without an arm sock was surprising, but not unheard of. Pitch figured he just had to wash it, seeing how Jack wasn’t particularly able to afford much of anything.

“Well,” Jack breathed out, leaning back against the couch with his eyes glued to the black coffee table in front of them, “I—“

“Oh, I made dinner. Are you hungry?” Pitch interrupted him, getting up from his spot and walking into the kitchen just as the timer began to beep.

“Uh… no… I’m fine.” Jack stammered, watching Pitch enter the kitchen, then standing himself, pacing the space between the coffee table and the couch.

“Keep talking, I’m listening.” Pitch called out as he plated the rice, beans, and chicken for himself. Jack bit his lip, then turned slowly so he was facing the kitchen, raising his voice just enough for Pitch to hear him.

“I think that, maybe, we should, um, s-see other people.” He spoke, his stomach churning when Pitch didn’t respond right away. His back was to Jack, his arms frozen in place, and when he did move, it was only enough for him to stare at Jack through the corner of his eye. Jack looked away, licking his lips and taking a short breath, “Maybe we should… break up.”

“Is this because I didn’t let you stay?” Pitch asked in a low voice that Jack was surprised that he could hear clearly. He glanced up at Pitch, then back down at the couch, discreetly turning his arm so he could look at the glowing green numbers hidden from Pitch by the back of the couch.

“No,” He said when he was feeling strong enough, “It’s just… I’ve been thinking about it for a while, now, and maybe we just… really shouldn’t be with each other.”

“Of course we should. Why shouldn’t we? Don’t be stupid, Jack.” Pitch growled out, seeing Jack frown and close his eyes, obviously insulted, “We’re both  _ solus _ es, it’s not like there’s anyone else out there for us.”

Jack stayed quiet at that, and his silence was what piqued Pitch’s interest the most. Slowly, Pitch turned his body towards Jack, eyes narrowed and disbelief written on his face, “Unless… you met someone?”

“I didn’t meet anyone.” Jack said quickly, glaring at the couch, “How could I have? We never go out.”

“I doubt you would be able to break up with me unless you already had someone on the side.” Pitch growled, walking up to the back of the couch and leaning on it, both hands on the top. Jack folded his arms across his stomach, hiding his clock from the both of them. They met eyes briefly, but Jack turned his head away first. Pitch snarled at him, then grabbed his chin and tugged his face forward, forcing him to look at him, “Who is it? Who did you meet?”

“I didn’t meet anyone!” Jack repeated, cheeks turning red from embarrassment and fear. He tried squirming out of Pitch’s grip, but he didn’t want to show his arm to Pitch, either, “Let me go!”

“Not until you tell me what gave you this  _ stupid _ idea!” Pitch growled, squeezing his chin tighter, then spreading his fingers out on Jack’s face, squeezing his cheeks in now. Jack had a harder time squirming away, now, and Pitch kept his eyes on Jack’s, no matter where they darted to.

“Let me go!” Jack tried again, his neck hurting from all the tugging he had been doing. He rose his left hand to try and pull Pitch’s arm away, but it wasn’t his dominant side, so he barely had any grip.

“Tell me, Frost!” Pitch hissed, glancing down at Jack’s right arm, which was still pressed to his stomach, then back to Jack’s face, “Tell me!”

“I…--“ Jack began, and Pitch squeezed his face harder, his bony fingers digging into Jack’s cheek. Jack whined in pain, tugging again, but getting nowhere.

“Yes?! You what, Jack?!” Pitch yelled, tugging Jack’s face closer. Jack whined again, his eyes filling with tears, but he didn’t want to cry like this.

“I’m a halfer!” Jack finally shouted, and Pitch’s face dropped into one of shock and hurt. He let go of Jack and stumbled back, throwing himself against a small table and nearly knocking its contents over, as if it were a disease. They stared at each other, Jack’s lower lip quivering and his eyes set on Pitch, trying to hold back the tears from the pain in his cheeks. Pitch took slow breaths, eyes wide and mouth hanging open dumbly.

“Show me.” Pitch requested, and Jack merely stuck out his right arm, displaying his green clock which read  _ 07:04:26:06:32:54  _ and continued to count down. Pitch’s eyes glued to Jack’s arm, and his own hand pressed against his arm, his red numbers hidden by his jacket sleeve.

“We have to break up.” Jack repeated in a soft voice, getting Pitch’s attention again. Their eyes met, and neither of them looked away this time, “We can’t pretend anymore.”

Pitch, still quiet in the shock and uncertainty, slowly pressed his hands back against the table he had bumped into, standing up straighter and trying to regain his composure. His fingers felt something cold on the table, and he turned his head away from Jack, eyes searching. “How long…?”

“I don’t know. When I got home and went to shower, it…. It was like this.” Jack said honestly, his arm still held out. He turned his own attention to the green numbers, heart pounding and a smile coming to his face as the numbers continued to count down. Pitch took in a shaky breath, his fingers curling around something wooden and squeezing it tight, lifting it from the table.

“It says seven years, doesn’t it? We don’t have to break up…” Pitch whispered, and Jack frowned at that. His eyes were still on his arm, and he ran his fingers over the numbers lovingly.

“I know… but I think I’d rather wait on my own.” He said softly, his head snapping up when Pitch stomped towards him, letter opener in hand and rage in his eyes. With a yelp, Jack was grabbed by the arm and tugged over the couch, falling onto the ground with a loud bang. He grunted in pain, rolling onto his stomach, but Pitch merely kicked him in his side until he was on his back. He straddled Jack’s stomach, one hand on the inside of his right elbow to keep him pinned down, the other raising the blade above his head.

“Pitch! Wait! Stop!” Jack yelled, eyes wide when he realized what the man was planning. He squirmed and struggled, tears flooding his eyes, and in a single moment, Jack’s world was overrun by pain. His back arched and his yelling turned to screaming. He struggled against Pitch’s grip, but the man merely pressed his elbow down across Jack’s body, pressing him hard against the floor. The letter opener slid out of Jack’s skin only to press back in, eliciting another cry of pain from the younger man.

He could feel blood pouring from his arm, could hear Pitch yelling at him, but his own screams were blocking out his words. His throat began to burn, but he didn’t stop shouting. Tears ran down his face, his eyes squeezing shut as the blade pulled out, then slammed back in. He swore he heard something crackling in the back of his head, like glass cracking into webs.

The blood was running faster now, but the pain had stopped. The pressure he felt from Pitch straddling him was gone, but he didn’t know why. Perhaps Pitch went to find a bigger knife. Perhaps he left him there to die. He hoped it was the latter.

Jack’s head rolled to the side, tears spilling just as quickly as the blood from his arm, and when he opened his eyes, he was blind to everything except the bright green numbers the flickered on his arm, the seconds stuck between 23 and 24. He heard someone calling his name, but he didn’t turn to look. His eyes followed the flow of his blood which obscured some of the numbers, the torn skin, the exposed muscle and a slight hint of bone.

He started to feel light headed, blackness shrouding his vision, and the last thing he heard was the faint sound of an infant crying. His eyes slipped shut and his body felt cold, then he was gone.

 

 


	2. Halfer

The sound of a crying infant reverberated through his skull, echoing slightly, then petered off into a mechanical whine, accented by the beeping of a heart monitor. He slowly opened his eyes, the room blurry and bright, and he squinted his eyes to keep them from burning.

“Jack? Mr. Jack Frost?” A voice came from his side, and he turned his head slowly, spotting a woman in a nurse’s uniform. She smiled at him, brushing her hair behind her ear before writing something down on a clipboard, “How are you feeling, Mr. Frost?”

Jack stared at her for a bit, then turned away from her to look at his arm, which was bandaged tightly. He couldn’t see his numbers, and that made his stomach flip in fear. He began to sit up, but the woman put a hand on his shoulder, pressing him back against the bed. He flinched from her touch, eyes jumping to her. She smiled at him reassuringly, letting go of him when she saw he was afraid, then said in a gentle voice, “You’re okay, now, Jack. Do you remember what happened?”

Jack took a few quick breaths, then nodded, tears lining his eyes at the memory. His arm throbbed in pain, making him wince. He bit his lip, then looked to the woman, “M-my clock… My numbers, are they still…--“

“Yes, yes, it’s okay.” She said quickly, putting the clipboard down and smiling at him, “Some of the numbers were malfunctioning, so we called in a specialist. He said he’ll fix it up for you right away.”

Jack frowned at that, then shook his head no, “I don’t… I can’t afford it…” He whispered, and the woman frowned at that.

“Well, I’m sure your insurance can cover—“

“I don’t have insurance! I don’t have any money!” Jack interrupted her, irritated. She fell quiet, so Jack sighed and apologized, “I… I  _ just _ got my numbers… I know it sounds crazy, but… I  _ just _ got them…”

The woman looked surprised, a hand coming to her lips, then she took in a breath, as though she was about to say something. The door swung open first, though, making the two of them flinch and look up.

“Doctor!” the woman gasped, eyes even wider at seeing the woman in a white coat walk in, “Shouldn’t you be at home resting?”

“Please, people need me.” She replied, her voice gentle and slow, practically screaming patience. The doctor looked at Jack, then held out a hand, waiting for the nurse to hand her the clipboard. As she flipped through Jack’s papers, she hummed in thought, brows knitting together in confusion.

“No insurance, no job, no source of income… for a halfer, you really are living the  _ solus _ lifestyle, aren’t you?” She commented, going to the other side of Jack’s bed to examine his bandaged arm. Jack flinched at the touch, and the Doctor eyed him carefully before saying, “I need to look at it. Is that okay?”

Jack bit his lip, then nodded slowly, watching anxiously as she lifted some of the bandages, peering underneath them.

“Well, you definitely are healing nicely.” She commented, letting the bandages down and writing something on her clipboard, “Without insurance, your bill is going to be pretty hefty…”

Jack swallowed hard, anxiety running up his spine and making his head throb. He nodded slowly, eyes dropping down to his lap.

The Doctor watched him for a minute, then looked up at the nurse and nodded her head towards the door, “Go tend to Mr. Bunnymund, he needs his medication.”

“Yes, Doctor.” The nurse obeyed quickly, leaving the two of them alone in the room and closing the door behind her. The doctor sighed, then put the clipboard down and pulled a chair up, sitting down beside Jack.

“Okay, Mr. Frost… why don’t you have any insurance? You know it’s required for halfers…” She spoke, leaning towards him with an inquisitive look. Jack swallowed again, glancing at her, then back to his lap.

“I… I was a  _ solus _ . I  _ just _ got my numbers.” He explained with a dry voice. The woman pursed her lips, trying to decide if she should believe him or not.

After a moment of silence, she looked down at her hands, straightening out her coat on her lap, then crossed her legs, “I was wondering if they had made a mistake on your files. Your paper had  _ solus _ written all over it, but your clock told me otherwise. I’ve heard of some  _ solus _ es getting their numbers far into their life, but I never thought it was true…” She peered up at Jack, then said, “You’ve been in here for about three days now. Your arm has healed enough for the specialist to take a look at it. Let him fix your clock. I’ll worry about the fees.”

Jack’s head snapped up and he looked at her, admiration and disbelief in his eyes, then he shook his head no, “I—I can’t force you to—“

“Please, it’ll be my pleasure.” She said with a grin, running her fingers through her hair, tying it up into a messy brown bun, “Anything for a new-born halfer.”

Jack could feel tears pricking at his eyes and he contemplated hugging her, but he didn’t want to tear the IV out of his arm, “I-I’ll repay you one day… I’ll work for you if you need me to! I’ll p-paint your house, I—“

“Jack, shush.” She laughed out, getting to her feet, “You don’t have to pay me back. It’s fine.”

“B-but I want to!” Jack begged, feeling like he had to give back somehow, “Please, I’ll do anything!”

She rolled her eyes, then put her hands on her hips as she stared down at him. Pursing her lips, she finally decided something, and she wrote down her address on a card, giving it to Jack, “When you’re all better, come over and I’ll give you something to do.”

Jack smiled wide and nodded, taking the card from her and watching her leave, calling out a string of promises that he’ll pay her back. When he was alone, he looked down at the card, memorizing the address just in case. His arm throbbed, and he felt curious. He set the card aside and tried lifting up the bandages, wanting to see how bad it was. Being completely right-handed, however, left him unable to get a good grip on the bandages, and he only just lifted them when he heard a knock on the door.

He let the bandages fall back and he sat up, looking to the door just as it swung open. A heavy-set man with blond hair and tiny glasses set on his rather crooked nose walked in, limping as he made his way over to the bed. The door swung shut behind him and he huffed, sticking out his hand for Jack to shake. Jack shakily stuck out his right hand, gripping his weakly.

They shook, then the man let go of him, not even introducing himself. Jack pressed his lips into a line, then said in an unsure voice, “Uh… Jack?”

“Hm?” The man looked up at him, raising a brow, then he rolled his eyes and laughed, “Oh, right, call me Gobber.”

“Gobber?” Jack repeated, a small smile coming to his lips. What kind of name was  _ Gobber _ ? Just before he was able to say anything else, though, Gobber began to undo Jack’s bandages. Jack’s eyes went to his arm immediately, eager to see his numbers.

When the bandages fell, Jack’s breath caught. His numbers were green still, but only the  _ 07: _ was visible. The rest of the numbers were flickering and twitching, occasionally blinking yellow.

“Ah, he really did a number on you, eh?” Gobber spoke, shaking his head, then pulling a chair up for him to sit, “Not to worry, I’ll have these digits ticking in no time.”

“Is it going to hurt…?” Jack asked, fear running through his veins.

“D’you have a high pain tolerance?” Gobber decided to ask, and when Jack shook his head no, Gobber smirked, “Then it’ll probably hurt. But don’t worry, it ain’t that bad.”

Jack nodded slowly, watching as Gobber lifted a briefcase onto the bed and opened it up. Deciding conversation would keep him from freaking out, he asked, “So… how much does this usually cost?”

“Well, for one number it’s usually five thousand dollars. You’ve got at least ten numbers out, so fifty to sixty.” He shrugged, and Jack cringed.

“That’s… that’s a lot of money…” He muttered, and Gobber glanced up at him before shrugging once again.

“It ain’t a lot if you’re a halfer.” He said boredly, and Jack looked back up at Gobber, watching as he filled a syringe with liquid.

“Are you a halfer?” Jack asked, not able to see the man’s clock beneath his shirt sleeve. Gobber looked up at Jack again, contemplating whether or not he should tell him, then he jabbed the needle just below Jack’s elbow, making the boy yelp in surprise and pain. The liquid flowed into Jack’s muscle, and soon his arm started to go numb.

“I was,” Gobber said with a frown, putting the syringe aside when the needle popped back into its casing, “But my partner died before I met them. I’ve had black zeroes ever since.”

Jack frowned at that, then whispered, “I’m… I’m sorry…”

“It ain’t your issue, boy. These things happen.” He said plainly, pulling out a set of glasses with magnifying lenses connected to the rim. He put them on, then flipped down the lenses so he could see better. His eyes looked cartoonish in them, and Jack couldn’t help but chuckle. Gobber grinned and looked up at Jack, then said, “You’re pretty happy for someone who just had their arm torn up.”

“Am I not supposed to be?” Jack asked with a grin, watching as Gobber pulled out a strange instrument that curved like a ‘L’ that he pressed the tip of it against Jack’s skin, following along the flickering numbers one by one.

“I can’t say for sure. I ain’t ever been in your situation.” Gobber replied with a shrug. One by one, the numbers on Jack’s arms turned grey, showing zeroes instead. Jack’s smile dropped and his body tensed, but Gobber soothed him with a quick, “It’s fine, it’s fine. They just need a reset is all.”

“A reset?” Jack repeated, staring hard at the numbers, willing them to turn green again.

“Yeah, y’know, like turnin’ them off then on again,” Gobber explained, finishing up the last number and leaving the seven alone, “A reset.”

He pulled out another instrument, something that looked like a metal toothpick connected to a motor, and he lightly poked the numbers right in the center. Jack felt the pressure, but the medicine from earlier numbed him from pain. He watched in silence, hoping his numbers didn’t turn back to red.

“Is it safe?” Jack asked, despite already being far too past the point of return. Gobber nodded anyways, and soon the grey numbers began to blink.

“There we are.” Gobber said with a sigh, putting the tool away and watching as they slowly began to glow green again, then jumped from zero to various numbers, counting down once more. Jack’s smile came back and he brushed his fingers along the scarred tissue.

“You act like you haven’t seen them glow in ages, boy.” Gobber joked, watching the boy grin at his numbers.

“I haven’t…” Jack replied, biting his lip, “I only just got them…”

Gobber stared at him for a while, then he chuckled and put his instruments away, “Well, well, well… I never thought I’d get to meet someone like you.”

He stood up from his seat, packing away his instruments and clearing his throat, “I’ll have a word with your doctor. I know her well, that Valka. I’ll try and work something out with the price.”

Jack looked up at him, surprised, “N-no, you really don’t—“

“Please, like I’m doing it for free. A halfer like you needs a job, dontcha? Why not learn something important?” He patted his briefcase, then headed to the door, “Just swing by my shop. It’s right next to the library on Brownings street.”

“B—Brownings….” Jack repeated with a nod, his head reeling from all this kindness towards him. Gobber smirked, then left without so much of a goodbye. Jack sat there quietly, then laid back in his bed and looked at his clock.

_ 07:04:22:20:55:09 _

\-----------

When Jack was finally out of the hospital and left to his own devices, he immediately went to Valka’s house, approaching the door timidly. He could hear a baby crying from inside, and he briefly wondered if he should come back a different time. He doubted there would be a better time, though, so he knocked anyways. Barely two minutes went by before the door swung open, revealing a large, bulky man with fire-red hair and a mean look on his face. Jack stared up at him with wide eyes and a loose jaw, almost missing it when the man asked him what he wanted.

“U-uh… I’m here to see Doctor… er… Valka?” Jack asked, lifting up the card she had given to him. The man rose a brow and took the card, looking it over and seeing it was, indeed, Valka’s card.

“Valka!” He shouted, “Your patient is here!” He stepped inside, gesturing for Jack to follow, and he closed the door behind him when he entered.

“Well come hold Hiccup and I’ll see him!” She shouted back, the crying infant getting louder. The man huffed, then muttered to Jack, “Don’t have children, boy. They’re a pain to take care of.”

Jack laughed a bit, feeling awkward and out of place. The man went upstairs, leaving Jack alone to look at what was immediately around him. It was a rather beautiful house, but that was a given. Valka was a doctor, so of course they would be rich.

When the woman came down, she smiled at Hiccup and pulled her hair back into a bun, going to him and greeting him fondly, “Sorry about that. Our son just hates nap time.”

“How old is he?” Jack decided to ask, shaking her hand when she offered it to him, then slipping his hands into the pockets on his jacket.

“Oh, just a week or so. They considered keeping him in the hospital because he was so tiny, but I think I know what I’m doing.” She said with a wink, then gestured for Jack to follow her, “So I heard Gobber offered you a job?”

“Oh, yeah. I was going to go to his shop after this.” Jack said with a nod, following Valka to the backyard, spotting the pool right in the center lined with leaves and dead bugs.

“Well, I suppose you’ll be doing two jobs, then. Is that fine?” She asked, giving him another look. Jack held up both hands and smiled, nodding his head.

“Don’t worry about me! I have a debt to pay, anyway. So what am I doing today? Cleaning your pool?” He gasped a little, then sent Valka a joking look, “Am I going to be your pool boy?”

“Gods, no!” Valka laughed, and it made Jack happy that she took the joke so well, “You’ll just swing by during the week and clean the house, is all. Not weekends, though, weekends will be family time.”

“Do I need a uniform?” Jack grinned, heading towards the shed in the corner of the yard and opening it, spotting the pool net immediately. He tugged off his jacket and set it aside, the green on his arm adding to his overall happiness, and he grabbed the net.

“Well, I’d say wear something you wouldn’t mind getting dirty. Our house is a mess, especially with the newborn.” Valka explained with a shrug, watching as Jack got to work cleaning the pool, “You’ll only be here for an hour or two a day.”

“Got it. Weekdays for an hour or two.” He said with a nod, cleaning out the pool quickly, but precisely. When he was done, only fifteen minutes had gone by, and he put the net back and grabbed the rake next, cleaning up the rest of the yard. Valka smiled, then said, “When you’re done, you can go. Just come tell me, okay?”

“Yes, ma’am!” Jack called out after her, and she shot him a dangerous look.

“It’s doctor to you!” She said, then grinned and went inside. Jack laughed to himself, then continued to clean, keeping track of the time so he didn’t miss Gobber before he closed up shop.

The hour went by quickly, and Jack had finished the backyard. With a quick shout upstairs that he was done, he set off to Gobber’s shop, just down the road. When he arrived, he found the hunched over man sitting behind the desk, magnifying glasses on and a device on the table. Jack cleared his throat, getting Gobber’s attention, and he made his way over.

“Ah, so you came!” Gobber said happily, leaning back in his seat and pushing his items aside, “I was getting worried. What kept you, lad?”

“Well, I had to swing by Valka’s house. She helped pay for my stay in the hospital, so I’m working for her too.” He explained with a shrug, smiling when Gobber stuck out a hand for him to shake.

“You cleaning her house, then? She’s been complaining about getting a house maid.” He grinned, then gestured for Jack to follow, “Come on, let’s get you started. You’ll work daily, except weekends. Weekends we’re closed.”

“How come?” Jack asked, following Gobber towards the back of the shop, seeing it just as messy and chaotic as the rest of the shop was.

“Family time. Valka and Stoick invite me over every Saturday for dinner. With the little one, I doubt there’ll be much drinking anymore, but better safe than sorry.” He chuckled, then gestured to the rows and rows of miscellaneous items, “Your first job is to clean up and organize the back. Should take you a while. I don’t expect it done in one day, so take your time.”

“Sure thing.” Jack said with a nod, pulling off his jacket again and hanging it on the back of a chair, “Am I just going to clean up the shop?”

“Nah, I’ll teach you a thing or two about clock mechanics eventually, but right now, we’re gunna start you out small. Y’got to get some strength back in that arm of yours, aye?”

Jack smiled a bit and nodded, then said, “Well, I’ll get to work. What are my hours here?”

“Eh, I’d say four or five. You can come by after you’re done with your chores at Valka’s and stay until closing. We usually shut down at six or seven, depending on the customer flow.” He said with a dismissive wave of a hand.

Jack nodded again and went to the racks, looking over them, “Alright, just call me when it’s time to leave.” He said with a smile, then started to pull out everything on the bottom shelf of the first rack.

“Don’t rush yourself, now.” Gobber said before he slipped through the door and headed back to the front counter.

 


	3. 00:00:00:00:00:00

Time went by rather quickly for Jack. He worked for Valka and Gobber still, and was learning clock mechanics quickly with Gobber’s help. He was sure he could reset a clock by now, but Gobber kept telling him he needed more practice. There was more to fixing a clock than a plain old reset, anyways.

Valka and Stoick were fond of Jack by now, and constantly invited him over during the weekends, but Jack always declined. He didn’t want to impose, and he had his own apartment to worry about. With Pitch gone and a small flow of income—Gobber insisted Jack take at least a little bit of payment so he could keep himself alive—he was able to get himself a nicer apartment closer to work. It overlooked a playground and a park, and he couldn’t have been happier with it. He typically spent his weekends cleaning his own home and relaxing, often watching the children play in the sun or snow, depending on the season.

He would clean Valka’s home whenever she was at work and her son at school. Stoick would let him in and make sure he cleaned, and it didn’t take long for Jack to realize that Stoick didn’t work. He asked the man about it, and Stoick merely laughed and said, “I had to quit my job when Valka gave birth. My job was watching Hiccup, and it still is. With a maid cleaning the house, though, I don’t really have anything else to do while he and Valka are gone.”

“Why did you name him Hiccup, anyway?” Jack asked, laughing a bit. Stoick made a noise in the back of his throat, leaning back on the couch and watching Jack as he dusted the living room and cleaned the windows.

“We named him Hamish. Hiccup’s just a nickname, really. He’s so thin, you wouldn’t think he came from Valka and I.” Stoick huffed, crossing his arms, “That poor boy’s going to get picked on at school… I tried teaching him how to fight, but he’d rather stick his nose in a book.”

“How old is he?” Jack asked next, wondering how many years had gone by since he met them.

“Hmm…” Stoick scratched his cheek, then said, “Four by now, I think.”

And that had been three years ago. With Jack’s busy schedule and refusal to join them for dinner on weekends, though, Jack never met the boy himself. He sort of wanted to, but the only way he would was if he went to dinner with them. Jack doubted he would ever meet the boy.

Jack got home from Gobber’s early one Friday, the shop being closed down early for renovations. They were adding a second floor, and when that was done, Gobber promised him that he would finally work on his first customer. Jack was excited, needless to say, and he celebrated it with a glass of milk and a seat by the window, watching the children play on the playground. He was excited for other things too, and with a glance at his scarred arm, he knew what was coming. Just one day left and he would be meeting his life partner. He could barely contain himself, could barely even think of doing anything for the next twenty four hours, but there he sat in contentment, watching the children play their hearts out on swings and slides.

That is, until Jack's phone began to ring.

He frowned, glancing over at the device, and when it continued to ring, he got up and went to it. He didn't really know too many people, and he had already cleaned Valka's home that day. She only ever called him if she needed him to come at a different time, or to take a day off.

When he picked it up, he saw it was, indeed, Valka, and he answered it nervously.

“Yeah-lo?” He spoke, holding the phone to his ear and placing himself back down at the windowsill, leaning back against the seat.

“Jack!” Valka said happily, the sound of Stoick cooking in the background followed by a rather loud  _ “Shh! Shh! Not too loud!” _

“Oh, hi, Val,” Jack replied, trying to pretend like he didn't know who it had been, “What's up? Called to tell me I missed a spot?”

Valka laughed at that, and that immediately made Jack relax. Good, so he wasn't in trouble. Seven years in and he never slacked off, and he was truly hoping to keep up that record.

“I'm actually calling you to invite you over tomorrow,” Valka said, and Jack clicked his tongue, just about to refuse when she added, “It's Hiccup's birthday tomorrow, and we really want you to come celebrate it with us,”

“Hiccup's birthday?” Jack asked, perking up just a bit. Parties meant people, and Hiccup's birthday meant actually meeting the little runt. Even though he never really talked to the kid, he had seen pictures, and he truly was stick-thin and fun-sized compared to his hefty parents.

“Yeah! In fact, he was asking for you personally.” Valka continued, and Stoick went into another round of  _ “Shush, Valka! He's upstairs!” _

Jack hummed, glancing at his clock again, then giving in, “Alright, what time?”

\-------------------

The next day, Jack found himself heading to the Haddock household at around three in the afternoon, present in hand and nicely wrapped, if Jack said so himself. He had to park a few houses down, seeing as there were more cars flooding Stoick and Valka's driveway. He tucked the present—which was a 'build your own rocket ship' model that Jack heard Hiccup was really into these days—under his arm and stepped out of his car, locking it for good measure.

He slowly made his way to the Haddock household, already hearing the shouts of children and the music playing from the backyard. A little sign on the front door instructed Jack and any other party-goer to simply walk in through the gate, which Jack did. He pushed it open easily, spotting Valka and Stoick immediately. They gasped and rushed at him, Stoick easily blocking Jack from view with his body as Valka wrapped an arm around Jack's, tugging him back out to the front yard and towards the front door.

“Uh, Valka, I'm not sure if you know this, but there's a sign here that  _ clearly _ states--” Jack began with a grin, confused as to why he was being tugged away, but going with it.

“I know what the sign says,” Valka interrupted him, a grin wide on her face, “But you're one of our presents to Hiccup! We need to get you wrapped up before we show you to him.”

“Gee, if I didn't know any better, I'd say he has no clue I'm coming.” Jack said sarcastically, following Valka upstairs and into her and Stoick's bedroom, where she sat Jack down and grabbed a brush. She began grooming him, making sure his hair looked fine, wiping some dried toothpaste off of his chin, and even lint-rolling his clothes.

“Of course he doesn't know you're here,” She said as she worked, trying to make Jack look perfect, “He didn't even ask for you.”

“Wh-What?” Jack stammered, now surprised to a whole new level. Valka rolled her eyes, her smile still in place, then gestured to Jack's arm. He glanced down at it, seeing it read only ten minutes, and his heart skipped. His head snapped up, a smile on his face and his eyes wide, “Do you think you know who it is?!”

“Oh, I know,” Valka said calmly, putting her hands on Jack's shoulders, “And before you go down there and screw it up, just remember this: You're like a son to us, Jack. No matter what happens, you'll always be accepted into our family.”

Jack stared at Valka, perturbed, and he was about to ask what she meant when they heard party-poppers going off, “Oh! They're bringing out the cake! Come on, Jack, time to make your debut.”

“I—I'm starting to feel like this is a bad idea!” Jack whimpered, nerves flooding him at the rush, but Valka didn't let him stew on it. Instead, she grabbed him by the shoulders with her gentle yet stern grip and pushed him back down the stairs, into the kitchen where Stoick was lighting the candles, and they waited for him to finish and take the lead.

Jack could see outside through the glass window, his heart pounding in his chest as he spotted what must have been the birthday boy sitting with his back to him, brown hair flowing and shoulders bouncing in laughter. He quickly scanned the rest of the people, seeing adults and children and only a few teenagers, and immediately he was trying to see their arms. The colder weather called for warmer attire, though, and Jack couldn't even see one person's clock.

“Okay, go!” Valka whispered, pushing on Jack's shoulders, but the man froze up after taking a step. Valka frowned, pushing him again, then whispering, “Jack, come on!”

“Where's Mom?” The birthday boy's small, squeaky voice came. Stoick glanced back towards the kitchen, giving Valka and Jack a  _ 'what are you doing?' _ look.

“She's getting the plates!” Stoick lied, then patted his son's shoulder, “Come on, now, blow out your candles.”

“I wanna wait for Mom.” Hiccup refused, but he went ignored as everyone burst out in song, singing 'Happy Birthday' for Hiccup.

“Jack, come on!” Valka insisted again, pushing at Jack's shoulder blades. Their actions didn't go unnoticed, and the few adults that glanced their ways quirked their brows in curiosity as the man struggled against Valka's grip, shaking his head fervently. He felt like he was going to faint. He felt like he was going to collapse. He didn't know what he felt. All he knew was that he really,  _ really  _ wasn't ready for this.

_ “Happy Birthday to Hiccup...” _

“Just one more step! Come on!”

“Valka, w-wait, no, no, no--!”

_ “Happy Birthday to...” _

“Almost there!”

“Stop! Wait! I don't want to--”

_ “You!” _

Hiccup took in a deep breath and blew out the candles, eyes squeezed shut as he made a wish.

Jack's breath got stuck in his throat as he was unceremoniously shoved out of the kitchen, tripping over his own feet and falling to the ground. The children began to laugh and Valka and the rest of the adults gasped in horror. Jack pushed himself up to his knees quickly, spitting out the grass in his mouth and trying to reassure himself that he most likely didn't eat a lot of it.

He glanced up at the crowd, cheeks flushing in embarrassment, and he pushed himself to his feet, straightening out his clothes and clearing his throat. He turned to look at the children, then the birthday boy himself, who looked like a deer stuck in headlights. His eyes were wide and brown and adorable and his little, slightly crooked mouth hung open in disbelief.

“Uh...” Jack stammered, squeezing his hands nervously and glancing at Stoick, then Valka, then back to Hiccup. He smiled at the flabbergasted seven-year-old, bringing a hand up to fix his grass-littered hair, then stuck out his hand for Hiccup to shake, “Happy Birthday, Hic.”

Hiccup continued to stare, but he slowly brought up his own small, freckled hand, letting it slide into Jack's grip. Once their hands met, though, Jack felt a sudden click in his chest. He didn't even need to look at his arm to know what happened, and his smile dropped to a stare of disbelief. The boy was staring up at him, sharing his look, and when Jack dropped to his knees, hands still connected and eyes still locked, Hiccup quickly threw his arms around Jack's neck, pulling him into the tightest, warmest hug he had ever felt in his life. Jack wrapped his arms tight around Hiccup's center, holding the young boy close to him and tucking his face against the small, delicate neck he had, eyes still wide and heart pounding. He could practically hear Hiccup's heart, racing at the same tempo Jack's was.

Everyone was quiet, even the children, but the only ones who really knew what was going on was Stoick and Valka, who smiled down at the two of them fondly. Hiccup tucked his face into Jack's shoulder, then pulled away enough to whisper, “I wished for you to show up... I wished you would fall like that.”

Jack couldn't help but laugh, tears coming to the edge of his eyes as he held Hiccup tighter, “You wanna hurt me or something?” He asked, also whispering, and he felt Hiccup shake his head against Jack's shoulder.

“I just wished you would stick out so I didn't miss you.” Hiccup explained, pulling back to look at Jack's face, attempting to study it. Jack did the same, though he knew Hiccup's face would be changing as he got older. Their foreheads bumped against each other, and Jack couldn't keep his smile from his face. Hiccup smiled too, but it was smaller, gentler. Of course, he hadn't waited as long as Jack.

But it was all over in an instant when Hiccup pulled away, a shocked expression. Jack looked at him curiously, then looked around to see what got Hiccup's attention, blushing when he realized everyone was watching. Jack sucked at his teeth, then pushed himself to his feet, never letting go of Hiccup's hand.

“So...” Jack began, hoping to diffuse the tense air, “Who's cutting the cake?”

“I am!” Hiccup stated, throwing a hand into the air, but still holding onto Jack's.

Both Valka and Stoick stated, “You are not,” in time, making Jack snort and Hiccup pout.

“Why don't I help?” Jack offered, looking back at Stoick and Valka to see if it was okay, “Birthday boy gets to decide his slice size, anyway.”

Their fond smiles dropped and they shared a look, then Valka rolled her eyes and said, “Fine, but make it reasonable, Jack!”

Jack winked at her and took the knife from the table, sitting down in Hiccup's previous seat and pulling him into his lap, letting him 'hold' the knife. Together, they cut the cake, Jack allowing Hiccup to dictate the size of his slice with a little bit of adjusting. When Hiccup had his slice, they handed the knife back to Stoick, who quickly made work of the rest of the cake. They passed around the slices while Hiccup ate, and Jack refused a slice of his own.

Hiccup shot Jack a confused look, then neatly cut his own slice in half and lifted his fork to Jack, urging him to take a bite. Jack laughed, refusing at first, but Hiccup insisted. Jack sighed through his nose, then leaned down and took the bite, getting a happy smile from the boy on his lap.

The party went on without a hitch, Hiccup getting presents after they ate their cake—and particularly getting excited about a certain model rocket—the children playing basic games that Jack also partook in, mostly for Hiccup's sake, but also for his own. He loved a game now and then, and working for the past seven years definitely starved him of one.

The adults would whisper to one another, though, and Jack would catch snippets of their conversations. Mostly they were questioning Jack's relationship to the family, which he really didn't mind. He didn't care enough to try and explain it, knowing that it was all private information between him and his doctor.

The whispers that  _ did _ get to him, however, were those accusing Jack of pedophilia, mostly with the way he was coddling Hiccup. Whenever he caught wind of those whispers, his mood would lower and he'd step out of whatever game they were playing, only for Hiccup to go to him a few minutes later to convince him to play again. Jack felt a little bad, making the boy work to keep him from having a mental crisis, and he truly appreciated it. Hiccup distracted him easily enough until the end of the party, when they were seeing the families out.

Jack stood with Valka at the door while Stoick and Hiccup had a quick father-son chat that they often had on Hiccup's birthday, according to Valka. They were saying their goodbyes to the families that were leaving, thanking them for coming and hoping they had a good time. Towards the last of the crowd, a woman with her son paused at the door and looked at Jack, saying straight to his face, “I hope for the sake of little Hiccup that you don't stick around, sir.”

“Excuse me?” Jack replied, face pinching in confusion and insult. Valka's brows shot up as well, and her hands went to her hips, waiting for the woman to continue her accusations.

“I hardly think it suitable for a man your age to be so... physical with a seven-year-old.” She explained, and Jack honestly had nothing to say to that. It was true, after all, that at Jack's age, he should be looking elsewhere for a life partner, but his clock hadn't lied. It was a straight row of green zeroes now, and had been ever since he held Hiccup's hand. His eyes flickered down, mouth snapping shut and eyebrows knitting upwards.

Valka decided to step in, then, showing the woman and her son the door and insisting they keep to their own business. After a rather strict, “Please don't contact us again,” she turned to Jack and led him to the living room, letting the rest of the crowd leave on their own accord. With Jack sitting on the couch and Valka sitting beside him, she rubbed his back slowly and let Jack calm down.

“Jack--” She started, but Jack beat her to it.

“But he's my life partner.... isn't he? It... it doesn't matter that he's a little bit younger than me...!”

“That's right,” Valka said softly, pointedly ignoring the fact that 'a little bit younger' was actually twenty years, “And like I said, Jack, you're a part of our family, now. No matter what happens.”

Jack took in a shaky breath, then turned his head to look at Valka, “You don't... you don't think it's bad? You don't think it's... weird?”

“I think it's strange, of course, but our clocks don't lie,” Valka said with a shrug, “and if you were meant to love my son when he gets older, then so be it.” She pulled Jack close and pressed her lips to his temple, feeling him relax in her arms, “But just be ready, Jack. This is going to happen, and when Hiccup is a teenager you know it'll get harder.”

“Yeah,” Jack sighed, resting his head on Valka's shoulder and slowly feeling his mood lift again, “Please don't make me give him the sex talk.”

She laughed, snorting a little in the process, “Oh, Jack,” She chuckled, running her fingers through his hair, “The only sex talk you'll be having with him is the one explaining why you're going to wait for him to turn eighteen.”

Her grip turned to iron on the back of Jack's neck, making him flinch and squirm a little, laughing out a quick, “I got it! I got it! I'll sit on my hands if I have to!”

“Good boy,” Valka said with a content smile, letting go of him and petting his hair. Jack laughed a little and sat up straight, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Thank you,” He said, looking at Valka. She smirked at him, then patted his shoulder.

“You're still working for me.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

 


	4. Happy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If there isn't a stream of 'no's in the comments by the time this series is over with then i have failed you all.

Jack groaned as he was led by the hand, eyes covered by a scarf and excited chatter coming from the three surrounding him.

“I picked out the color!” Hiccup exclaimed in his cracking voice, dragging Jack forward by his hand, their fingers interlaced.

“I picked out the type, of course,” Stoick added on, a hand on Jack's shoulder to guide him properly.

“I just made sure it was in the price range.” Valka sighed, her own arm around Jack's, walking beside him as they made their way... outside? Jack definitely thought it was outside, since the sudden breeze hitting them after a door opened was a good enough hint.

They walked a bit more, then Valka and Stoick let go while Hiccup reached up, his hands on Jack's blind-fold. Jack grinned, feeling Hiccup's body slide against his as he rose to the tips of his toes, and he wrapped his arms around Hiccup's body, holding him close. They both laughed under their breaths, enjoying the closeness, but they were jolted away from one another when Stoick announced that they were ready.

Without a second thought, Hiccup tugged the blindfold off of Jack's eyes, and Jack blinked them open. Immediately he saw Hiccup, his heart jumping like he had only just seen him for the first time, and his hands went to Hiccup's cheeks, keeping their eyes locked.

Valka cleared her throat, catching their attention, and Jack's smile dropped when he saw a brand new, blue honda in front of him.

“ _ No! _ ” He gasped, and the three of them grinned, watching as Jack took a nervous step forward, then back again, “How?”

“You know all those years you worked for us?” Valka asked, crossing her arms, “Well, we sort of saved up all the money we thought you earned.”

Jack brought a hand to his mouth, shocked, then said, “But that was supposed to pay you guys back for the hospital!”

Hiccup seemed to perk up at that, curiosity crossing his features, but he wasn't able to ask because Stoick laughed aloud.

“What, you think a small bill like that could affect us?” He asked, crossing his arms. When Jack replied with a rather hearty, “ _ yes!”  _ Stoick laughed again, “Well it did, but you paid it off long before we started saving up for the car.”

Jack shook his head, only stepping up to the car when Hiccup took his hand and walked with him. Slowly, Jack got inside, smelling the new car smell and feeling the leather under him bend. They all waited for his reaction, and when none was immediately given, Hiccup asked, “Do you like it?”

Jack looked at him, then at Valka and Stoick before his lips split into a wide grin. He nodded enthusiastically, reaching out to pull the three of them into his arms, “You're all jerks! That money was for you guys!”

“You worked for it, Jack,” Stoick reassured him, hugging him back along with Valka, while Hiccup merely wrapped his arms around Jack's middle, his cheek resting against his stomach.

“Happy thirty-fifth,” Valka added, and Jack laughed again and held them tighter.

“Will you drive me to go get ice cream now?” Hiccup asked, looking up at Jack with a grin. Valka and Stoick were about to refuse, but Jack couldn't turn down his little Hiccup.

“Course, Hic. Hop in.” He nodded his head to the passenger's side. Valka and Stoick let them go, and Valka shot Jack a warning look.

“What?” He laughed out, “It's just ice cream! We'll be back in an hour, I promise!”

\---------------------

They sat in the parking lot to the ice cream shop in the backseat of Jack's car as they enjoyed their frozen treat. Hiccup was in Jack's lap, who was leaning against the door of the car so he was laying across the seats. Hiccup's head rested on Jack's shoulder, licking at the spoon until all traces of the dessert was gone. Jack sucked on his own spoon, long finished with his and his cup was on the floor of his car.

After some time, Hiccup looked up at Jack, taking in his peaceful look. He continued to eat his ice cream, considering how to word his next question, then asked, “Why were you in the hospital?”

“I needed medical attention,” Jack replied all too quickly, wanting to avoid that topic more than their 'lack of intimacy' topic that cropped up often enough, “That's why people go to hospitals.”

“But why did you need medical attention?” Hiccup elaborated, and Jack sighed, pulling the spoon from his mouth and looking down at his favorite teenager.

“I got hurt,” Jack said vaguely, and when Hiccup's stare didn't waver, Jack rolled his eyes and whined out, “ _ Fine _ , jeez.... Before you were born, I was a  _ solus _ \--”

“ _ No _ !” Hiccup gasped, sitting upright, “Really?”

Jack smiled and nodded, putting his arm around Hiccup's hip and urging him to lean against his chest again. He liked the way he felt against his chest, anyway. He continued the story, “Yeah, so like other  _ solus _ es, I decided to be in a relationship with another. I barely remember him anymore... it's been fifteen years now...

“Anyways, we were in a relationship together, until one day, you were born. And that very day, I got my numbers. I decided, no more messing around. I had to wait for you alone, without anyone at my hip. So I told him we were breaking up. He took it bad, I guess, and he tried ripping up my clock.” Jack gestured to his scarred arm, watching as Hiccup looked it over like he had never seen it before.

“I got sent to the hospital soon after, and that's where I met your mom. Things took of from there, and now I'm here, eating ice cream with you in my lap and I've never been happier.” Jack finished, a smile on his face.

Hiccup smiled too, finishing off his own ice cream and dropping his bowl on top of Jack's. Hiccup pressed their foreheads together, their eyes sliding shut, and whispered, “I'm sorry for making you wait...”

“Don't worry about it, Hic. I'd wait decades for you,” Jack said with a lighthearted smile. Hiccup stayed quiet for a bit, looking over Jack as if trying to understand something. A minute passed between them, quiet, and Jack broke it with a soft laugh, “What?“

“Close your eyes,” Hiccup ordered, sitting up a bit more. Jack quirked a brow at him, but when Hiccup repeated himself, he rolled his eyes before shutting them.

“Why am I closing my eyes?” He asked, a small smile still on his lips. Hiccup stayed quiet, putting his hands on Jack's chest to balance himself. Jack's smile wavered, a little nervous at the silence, but before he was able to ask Hiccup was he was planning, he felt a gentle pressure against his lips, cutting off his words. Jack kept his eyes closed, his hand sliding up Hiccup's back, stopping at his shoulder. When Hiccup pulled away, Jack let his eyes flicker open, immediately noticing the nervousness in Hiccup's face. Jack grinned, running his hand up and down his back to try and soothe him, then said, “What's that face for? You don't like kissing me?”

“That's not it.” Hiccup said quickly, his cheeks turning red, “It's just... It's the first time we kissed...”

“Yeah,” Jack said with a shrug, “and it was perfect. So don't worry about it, okay?”

Hiccup nodded silently, his cheeks still red, and he leaned down to do it again, which Jack gratefully allowed. They shared a few chaste kisses, their lips only pressing together, and Jack didn't want to push any further. They were both perfectly content with this, or so Jack thought until he felt a nervous brush of tongue against his bottom lip.

Startled, Jack pulled away, looking at Hiccup with wide eyes. Hiccup stared back, also surprised, and he quickly stammered out, “I-I'm sorry! I th-thought you--”

“Do you want to?” Jack interrupted him, tilting his head and looking over Hiccup's face. The teen thought about it, cheeks bright red, and he nodded slowly. Jack smiled at that, then squeezed Hiccup's hip before lifting the both of them until they were sitting. Hiccup slid off of Jack's lap, thinking they were stopping the kisses, but then Jack pushed Hiccup down against the car seat, making him gasp and almost hit his head against the car door. They both laughed and Jack murmured an apology, then bent down over him.

Hiccup sucked in a breath, holding it as Jack slid their lips together. Jack's hand went to Hiccup's, lacing their fingers together as he slipped his tongue into the boy's mouth. Hiccup made a small noise in the back of his throat, and Jack immediately worked to pull another from him. Jack did most of the work, of course, and at first it felt a little awkward, but then Hiccup started kissing back, and even though he was new to it all, he learned quickly.

Their hands squeezed together and Hiccup lifted his head to kiss Jack deeper, eyes closed and tongue searching. Now it was Jack's turn to moan, but he didn't give Hiccup the chance to prompt more out of him. Jack pulled away from the kiss, their lips slicked. Hiccup's eyes opened and his tongue ran across his top lip, and Jack had to close his eyes to keep from going back in for seconds.

“I should... I should take you home.” Jack said, shaking his head to get the image of that fiery look in Hiccup's eyes out of his head. Hiccup sat up with Jack, a frown on his face.

“Did I do something wrong?” He asked, his voice cracking a bit towards the end. Jack shook his head no, looking back at his little Hiccup with a smile.

“But if we keep kissing, I might,” Jack warned him, running his hands up Hiccup's thighs and feeling him shiver beneath his fingertips. That should have been enough of a warning for the boy, enough of a hint for him to stay quiet and agree to going home.

Of course, Hiccup was always a bit stubborn...

“We can be bad for a little...” He whispered, locking eyes with Jack, “Can't we?”

Jack's hands froze on Hiccup's legs, eyes wide and heart pounding. The thought of being with Hiccup intimately was enticing, of course. He loved the teen, and he wanted nothing more than to share such an experience with him...

But he knew what Hiccup didn't know, and that was the goods and bads of sex. Hiccup was only fifteen, and even though he's probably had a sex-ed class by now, Jack wasn't entirely sure if his first experience should be in the back of his car on a whim. His hands ran down Hiccup's thighs again, going to his knees, and Hiccup spread his legs a bit further, trying to entice Jack into doing more.

With a sigh, Jack pulled away completely, climbing into the driver's seat.

“We're going home,” He said, a bit too tightly. Hiccup frowned at him from the backseat, then climbed into the passenger's beside Jack and pulled on the seat belt. The entire ride home, Hiccup kept his head down and his legs pressed together, as if trying to be smaller than he really was. When they got back to his house, Hiccup immediately began to scramble out, but Jack caught him by the arm, getting his attention.

He smiled at Hiccup, but Hiccup turned away, and Jack knew what was going through his mind. Without a second thought, Jack leaned in and kissed his cheek before saying, “I love you, Hiccup, you know I do... but--”

“You just don't want to have sex with me,” Hiccup finished for him, sounding bitter and a little embarrassed, “It's okay...”

“That's not it,” Jack sighed, shifting in his seat so he could look at Hiccup directly, “I'd love to have sex with you. Hell, I'd love to do  _ anything _ with you, Hic. But you're too young right now. I don't want to rush you into all of this.”

Hiccup was quiet for a bit, then looked at Jack, “When I turn twenty, you'll be forty. You're always going to be twenty years ahead of me, Jack. Mostly if you treat me like I'm some fragile piece of equipment. Help me catch up to you.”

They looked at each other for some time, then Jack sighed and pulled Hiccup into a hug, then kissed his forehead, “Look, Hic...”

“If you're scared of Mom finding out, I promise I won't tell!” He interrupted him, leaning closer to Jack and putting his hand on his leg, making Jack's heart skip. Jack bit his lip, then whined and lifted his head, trying to stick with rational thought. But then Hiccup's hand started sliding up and in, and rational thought was slipping through Jack's fingers.

“Skip school for a day and we'll go on a date,” Jack finally gave in, and Hiccup's face lit up in excitement.

“Got it!” Hiccup said happily, pushing himself up to give Jack a quick kiss, “I'll text you tomorrow, okay?”

“Yeah... okay...” Jack sighed, and watched as Hiccup exited the car and hurried up to the house, a skip in his step and a smile on his face.

Jack sighed and leaned back in his seat, running a hand over his face in disbelief and excitement. He hadn't been able to spend a lot of time with Hiccup alone, and even though they might end up doing something Jack could feel guilty about later, he was really looking forward to it.

Anyways, Jack thought, if things got too far, they could always stop. Jack had the upper hand, here, and he was determined to control the situation.

So the next day, when Hiccup showed up at his apartment, schoolbag on his shoulder and a nervous smile on his face, Jack decided to lay down the law.

“We're not going to have sex today,” He said, and Hiccup's smile deflated to a worried frown, leaning back in the couch as he turned his head to his lap. Jack watched him for a second, then added, “But if you want, we can do some stuff.”

Hiccup's head tilted up, ears perked, and he asked in a soft voice, “Stuff?”

“Yeah. Stuff.” Jack repeated with a nod of his head, “You know, kissing, touching, rubbing... just stuff.”

“R-rubbing...?” Hiccup breathed, his head higher and his cheeks red, “Rubbing... what?”

Jack smirked at him, and Hiccup gulped and glanced down at Jack's lap before making eye contact again. Jack moved a little closer and, much to his surprise, Hiccup leaned back, as if afraid. Jack's smirk faltered and he searched his eyes, adding a very earnest, “If you don't want to, Hic, you have to tell me. I don't want you to think you have to do this.”

“But don't  _ you _ want to?” Hiccup asked, his voice barely above a squeak.

“Of course I do,” Jack sighed, leaning back to give Hiccup more space, letting him get comfortable again, “But I can wait. I've done it for fifteen years now, what do you think three more is to me?”

“B-but I--” He started, and Jack cut him off with a wave of his hand.

“Come on, let's go to the movies. We're still having our date.” Jack said with a smile, deciding for Hiccup that messing around wasn't exactly his top priority, “We'll sneak some candy corn and Reese's Pieces, ok?”

Hiccup's mouth worked slowly for a few moments, then snapped shut and he nodded, smiling again. Jack chuckled and ruffled Hiccup's hair, making him whine and click his tongue, “Awesome. Let's go before your mom figures out where you went.”

“Okay,” Hiccup laughed, getting up with Jack and heading to the theaters.

\-------------------

“Hey, will you do something for me?” Hiccup asked in a whisper as they laid back in the car, seats reclined and sunroof opened wide. They were parked on a hill high above the town, watching the stars. Jack turned his head to look at Hiccup, a small smile on his face as he looked over his life partner.

“Yeah, what is it?” Jack asked, reaching out and lacing their fingers together. Hiccup kept his eyes on the stars, fascinated with them, but he replied anyways.

“Can you tell me about your ex?” He asked, eyes sliding to Jack and his hand squeezing gently. Jack took a slow breath, breaking eye contact so he could think about it, and finally shaking his head no.

“You... You don't want to know about him,” Jack mumbled, pulling his knees up a bit higher and running his thumb against Hiccup's. Hiccup stared at him for a bit longer, then shifted onto his side, ignoring the stars entirely now.

“But I want to know more about you,” Hiccup insisted, letting go of Jack's hand to stroke his cheek, getting eye-contact again, “And knowing about him will help me learn more about you.”

Jack was quiet, his heart racing in worry, but he knew he couldn't say no to his little Hiccup. He sighed shakily, closing his eyes as he straightened out his thoughts, and when he had somewhere to start, he whispered in a nervous tone, “His... his name was Kozmotis... But I called him Pitch. Pitch Black. We met when I had a job at the laundromat late at night, talking about how it sucked to be a  _ solus  _ and how unfair it all was...

“We hit it off, I guess. Or I was just... tired of being alone. Maybe he was too... I don't know. I pursued him, of course. I didn't think he was interested, but when I asked him to dinner, he agreed. We ate and complained some more, and the next thing I knew I was... well...” He wasn't sure if he should go into detail, seeing how Hiccup was underage. A look from the teen beside him let Jack know that he knew where the story was going anyways, and Jack just continued, “I was in his bed, doing whatever he wanted. It wasn't a good relationship, really. I should've broken up with him right after we had our first fight... but the thing about Pitch was he was extremely... charismatic. He could make you feel on top of the world if he wanted to, or he could crush you under his shoe like a mere bug.”

“But you loved him, didn't you?” Hiccup asked, completely enthralled in Jack's story. The man smiled half-heartedly, then shook his head no.

“No...  _ Solus _ es don't love.” Jack muttered, and Hiccup stroked Jack's cheek again.

“Why did you stay with him?”

Jack laughed weakly, closing his eyes and enjoying Hiccup's touch, “Probably because of the sex. I'd do anything he'd want if it meant I'd be in his bed for another night. I was lonely and stressed and having him there, knowing he wanted me—or at least pretending like he did—is what kept me going.”

Hiccup hummed tonelessly, still stroking Jack's cheek, then he asked, “If... If you want to have sex all the time... why aren't you having sex with me?”

Of course. Their conversations were always coming back to this one way or another...

Jack opened his eyes, looking into Hiccup's, and he shook his head, “I was so lust-crazy because I was lonely, Hiccup. With you, I'm not lonely anymore.”

“So you don't want to have sex with me?” Hiccup jumped to conclusions, eyes tearing away and his hand slipping down. Jack caught it before it fell from his cheek completely, though, and he held it firm against his face.

“Don't put words in my mouth, Hic.” Jack said quickly, tone strict and eyes hard, “I'm saying that I don't care if we have sex or not. We can just lay here for the rest of our lives, holding hands and talking about nothing, and I'd feel just as fulfilled.”

Hiccup made a face at that, then said, “Yeah, but we'd smell pretty bad.”

Jack laughed aloud, taken off-guard by that comment, “I guess we would, wouldn't we?”

They smiled at each other, then Hiccup stroked Jack's cheek and asked, “When I'm eighteen... will you have sex with me?”

“Only if you want to, Hiccup.” Jack answered calmly, releasing his grip on his hand and running his fingers up his arm, then down his side, “But don't worry about it right now, okay? You still have a couple of years.”

 


	5. Teenagers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pumping these out hella quick.  
> Underage sex in this chapter  
> Skip if you wanna.

Jack hummed to himself as he walked up to the door to Hiccup's house. He was supposed to meet him here to help him study for his math test, but as Jack unlocked the front door, he immediately knew something was off. Valka and Stoick weren't home like they usually were whenever Jack came over, and instead of music or a video game sounding off in the background, Jack could hear Hiccup's voice accompanied by another, unfamiliar voice.

Jack wondered if Hiccup forgot they were supposed to study today and quietly closed the door. Might as well give him a quick scare now that Jack had the upper-hand. Then they could study with whatever friend Hiccup had over.

Jack climbed the stairs quietly, ears perked as Hiccup's conversation became clearer, and soon Jack found himself standing at the top of the stairs, a frown on his face and his hand tight on the rail. From inside Hiccup's room, he could hear their conversation continue.

“You have to take the initiative, Hamish. Older guys like it when you come onto them. You have to be assertive if you want him to love you.” The unknown male voice said, deep and rough and strict, “Sex is the foundation of a good relationship. If he doesn't get his dick wet, he's gunna ditch you for someone who knows how to spread 'em.”

“You don't know what you're talking about...” Hiccup's uncertain reply came, obviously doubting his own words, “He said he'd love me regardless.

“Please, how old is he already? Thirty-six? Thirty-seven? He's probably out getting laid right now. No real man's gunna wait around for his under-aged partner to 'mature' to get laid. You have to turn him on.” He insisted, and Jack could feel anger swelling in his chest at the accusations. He would never cheat on Hiccup, and he definitely wasn't repulsed by his body. He wanted to wait until Hiccup was ready, wanted to make sure Hiccup didn't hurt himself or force himself to do something he wasn't able to handle...

“But.... but we're life partners...” Hiccup replied weakly, and Jack's heart ached. He sounded so doubtful, so unsure... Jack had to make him realize how much he loved him.

“So what? That doesn't mean you don't have to make it work.” the other snorted, then the bed creaked, “So do you want me to teach you how to come onto him or what?”

Hiccup was quiet for so long Jack thought he was going to snap from the anticipation. When he did speak, it was a quiet, terrified, “Okay...”

Jack swallowed as he heard the bed squeak, ears straining to hear their weight shifting and the small intake of air, followed by a rather devious chuckle. Without thinking, Jack hurried to Hiccup's door, grabbing the handle and throwing it open to see a strongly-built redhead on the bed with Hiccup, large, grubby hand under Hiccup's shirt and the other down the back of his pants. Hiccup's eyes darted to Jack and widened in terror, but Jack ignored him. He went straight to the two of them, the redhead's hands slipping out from under Hiccup's clothes and scrambling to push himself away from the two of them, but Jack grabbed him by the front of his shirt anyways, tugging him off the bed and onto his feet.

“I'm not above murder,” He growled out, tugging the redhead who was about Jack's height right into his face, eyes locked with his and teeth grinding. Hiccup scrambled to his feet as well, grabbing Jack's arm and trying to get him to let go.

“Jack, come on, i-it's my fault! Let him go!” He whimpered, and the redhead glanced between the two before a wide grin was set on his face, only pissing Jack off further.

“Oh, so your his abstinent life partner, huh?” He chuckled, and Hiccup started telling him to shut up, “Hamish has been coming to me for advice for a whole year, you know. I've shown him so many things...”

“It's not true! Dagur, shut up!” Hiccup yelped, letting go of Jack's arm and instead tugging on his shirt.

“Keep talking and I'll shove you out the window!” Jack yelled, tightening his grip on Dagur's shirt and shaking him roughly, despite Hiccup's protests. Dagur continued, though, practically feeding off of Jack's anger.

“I've had him bent under me, moaning  _ my _ name, practically begging the Gods that I was his life partner instead! You should hear him, he's a  _ screamer _ !” He continued to taunt, and Jack's free hand pushed Hiccup away haphazardly before coming up and striking Dagur across the jaw, sending him back with the blow. Dagur staggered, tripping over himself and falling on his ass, his hand on his jaw as he grunted in pain.

“Jack!” Hiccup yelped, getting back up and stepping between them, stopping Jack from advancing on the fallen teenager and beating him senseless, “Jack! Stop!”

The strict tone in his voice was what made Jack pause and look down at the brunet, eyes wide and furious. “He was touching you!” Jack yelled, but Hiccup challenged his angry stare with a glare of his own, his little hands balled into fists and his voice tight.

“I  _ asked _ him to!” Hiccup spoke, and Jack's fury dissipated as quick as lightning. Dagur, on the other hand, just started to laugh where he sat, still holding his jaw.

“I told you,” He giggled out, then winced when his jaw ached from being moved.

“B-but...” Jack stammered pitifully, looking from Dagur to Hiccup, then towards the floor. He was... surprisingly heartbroken. Jack ran a hand up his uncovered arm, fingers brushing along the clock on his skin as he tried making sense of what was going on. They were life partners... this wasn't supposed to happen!

“Jack, I just... I just wanted to be ready... I wanted to do it for you...” Hiccup tried explaining himself, reaching out for Jack's hand, but Jack merely stepped away from him.

“Don't...” He breathed, but Hiccup advanced anyways, reaching out again to grab his shoulder. Jack ducked away from him, yelling instead, “Don't touch me!”

Hiccup hesitated, but his hand stayed out, waiting for Jack to come to him. He didn't. Instead, Jack shook his head and turned for the door, leaving Hiccup alone with Dagur to do whatever it was they were doing in the first place. Hiccup opened his mouth to call after him, but his words died in his throat.

Dagur sighed and pushed himself back up to his feet, rubbing his jaw some more, “What a fucking girl.”

“Why did you say all of that?” Hiccup questioned, not looking at Dagur. He felt the man's arm loop around his shoulder, pulling him closer, and his hands curled into fists again, not in the mood to be touched.

“I just wanted to mess with him. I didn't think he'd think I was telling the truth.” Dagur huffed, scratching the back of his neck, “But after that, jeez... I think you'd be better off without him.”

Dagur turned to kiss Hiccup's temple, but Hiccup ducked out from under his arm, leaving Dagur to kiss air.

“Get out of my house, Dagur,” Hiccup said sternly, turning his back to him and sitting at his desk where his laptop was. Dagur stared at him for a bit longer, waiting for him to change his mind, then scoffed and rolled his eyes again.

“All you halfers are the same,” He muttered hatefully, “You want us to whore around with you until you find your damn life partners... Where's our life partner, huh?”

Hiccup didn't respond, only repeating his order for Dagur to leave. His shoulders slumped when he heard the front door slam shut a second time, and he folded himself over his closed laptop, shame and guilt and regret piling on him until he felt like he was going to be sick from the stress. He just wanted to surprise Jack, show him how ready he was for him... but Jack had been so reluctant to do anything with him, and when he gave him the chance, Hiccup ended up getting scared...

Hiccup hated himself, and he knew he had to go make it up to him somehow. They were life partners, anyways... they were made for each other.

\---------------------------

“Mom...?” Hiccup called out weakly, peering into the living room where his mother sat, watching TV alone. Stoick was already upstairs, asleep. They had just returned home from a date night, and it was only the day after Hiccup had Dagur over.

“What's the matter, sweetheart?” She called out, turning to look at him. Hiccup stepped in further, seating himself on the chair across from her. He twiddled his thumbs and stared at the floor, trying to think of how to say it, and when Valka merely asked him if he was okay, Hiccup took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

“Is there... Is there a specific way life partners are supposed to make up with each other?” He looked up at Valka, her eyes wide with surprise, but when she understood what he was ultimately saying, she clicked her tongue and cooed.

“Oh my boy... What did Jack do? Did you two fight?” She asked, beckoning him over, but Hiccup stayed where he sat and shook his head no.

“No, I... I did something stupid yesterday and... and he got angry and left and...and I don't know what to do...” He didn't want to go into detail and tell his mother the kind of things Hiccup was becoming interested in, but he knew it wasn't Jack's fault. He had to let Valka know that, too, just so she didn't skin him the next time she saw him.

“Hiccup... you know a fight only happens when two people are involved. He is as wrong as you might think you are.” She tried consoling him, but Hiccup knew she didn't understand.

“You don't get it! I... I did something wrong. And I know it was wrong, but...” He whined, running his fingers through his hair, “I just want to talk to him and work it out, but he won't answer my calls! He won't reply to my texts! Mom, he's ignoring me!”

Valka fell quiet at this, her brows knitted together, then she leaned forward and, with the gentlest voice she could muster, asked, “What did you do?”

Hiccup fell quiet again, tears coming to his eyes as he thought about the other day, and he stammered, “I... uh... I was... I thought that... maybe if I knew what I was doing, he would want to... h-have sex... So I...”

Valka brought a hand to her mouth, shocked, and she gasped out, “You  _ cheated _ on him!”

“I didn't cheat! I just... I just wanted to practice!” He quickly tried to defend himself, his cheeks red and his stomach flipping hard. He felt like he was going to vomit again, but he didn't, “He walked in and he got so mad a-and I just want to apologize but he won't answer—”

“Hamish,” Valka said, her tone serious now. Hiccup's words stopped immediately, more tears building up as he sat there and prepared for his lecture, “why would you do something like that?”

“I-I didn't think he was interested! I just wanted to move things along!” Hiccup whimpered, but was cut off again when Valka raised a hand, silencing him,

“He didn't seem interested because I told him if he didn't wait until you were eighteen I was going to castrate him!” She said, and Hiccup felt his heart drop further. He wanted to cry, but when he gave his first sob, Valka shook her head, “Oh, no, no, don't you cry, Hamish! Don't you dare cry! I want you to go upstairs right now and get dressed, we are going straight to Jack's house and you are going to do whatever you can to make it up to that man!”

“H-he doesn't even want to see me anymore!” Hiccup whimpered out, his heart pounding in fear, but Valka stood and grabbed Hiccup's wrist, tugging him to his feet and bringing him upstairs.

“Nonsense! You're his life partner, and even though you royally screwed up, you're still meant for him. It's time for you to take responsibility and apologize!” She stated, pushing him into his room and going to his closet, digging through it to help him choose an outfit.

“I tried apologizing, Mom!” Hiccup complained, stepping out of the way as she tossed shirts over her shoulder, “He won't reply! He's not going to listen!”

“Please, if there's anything that boy does, its talk. If he was angry, he would have been yelling at you right now. You just have to take the initiative and actually talk to him in person!” She chose a shirt and threw it at Hiccup, who reluctantly put it on along with a pair of socks and shoes.

“Come on, I'll drive you there,” She said, putting her hands on his shoulders and pushing him down the stairs and into the garage.

“But what about Dad?” Hiccup asked as he was practically forced into the car.

“He'll understand. This is of utmost importance, anyways.” Valka huffed, opening the garage door before starting the car. As she pulled out of their garage, Valka asked angrily, “Why did you think cheating on him was such a good idea?”

“I didn't cheat on him!” Hiccup repeated, exasperated, “Besides, isn't he my life partner? Shouldn't he still love me regardless?”

Valka stopped the car abruptly at that, right in the middle of the street, and she turned to look at Hiccup. She looked so upset and so serious that Hiccup nearly felt his heart stop. Raising a finger in warning, she whispered in a low voice, “You listen to me, Hamish. You listen to me well. It does not matter if you and Jack are life partners. It does not matter what your clock says. Love is not something that just appears, love is  _ worked _ for. These clocks? These clocks only tell us when we know who we have to start working for. When you held Jack's hand for the very first time at your birthday party, what did you feel?”

“I-I felt a connection... I felt my clock hit zero.” Hiccup stammered, his voice meek and insignificant compared to Valka's strong, strict tone.

“Would you say you had loved him since then?” She asked next, brows knitted together in distress. When Hiccup looked away, she merely demanded his attention with a short, “Well?” Hiccup bit his bottom lip, then shook his head no.

“I didn't know him... But I knew I could love him. I knew I would love him.” Hiccup added, his voice getting more confidant than before, and Valka sighed in relief.

“Life partners are not your one true love, Hamish,” Valka said slowly, reaching out to run a hand down his cheek lovingly, “Life partners can come from anyone and anywhere. It can be one person or a group of people. You can fall in love with them or be their best friend. You can be different ages or the same. You fell in love with yours, and that's fine, but that doesn't mean your love is unconditional. That idea is an impossibility.”

Hiccup fell quiet, then, and Valka continued to drive in silence. They didn't speak until they parked at Jack's apartment and got out of the car. Hiccup turned to look at his mom, fear in his eyes, and he asked, “What do I say to him?”

Valka sighed through her nose, then went to her son and put a hand on his shoulder, leading him up the stairs and towards Jack's apartment door, “The truth.”

They reached the door and Valka stepped aside, gesturing for Hiccup to knock. When the teen hesitated, however, Valka rolled her eyes and whispered, “Just knock! What's the worst that could happen?”

Hiccup had about ten answers for that, each of them getting progressively worse than the last, but he swallowed them down along with his nerves and he knocked thrice on the door, closing his eyes for a moment before Jack answered to gather up his courage.

When the door swung open, Hiccup opened his eyes, mouth opening to greet his life partner, but his words died in his throat when a red-eyed Jack looked down at him with nothing but surprise and spite. He nearly slammed the door on the teenager, but Hiccup caught it just before it closed and forced it open, letting himself inside.

“Get out!” Jack yelled, putting a hand on Hiccup's shoulder to force him back, but Hiccup didn't budge. In fact, even as pissed as Jack was, he still wasn't able to will himself to push Hiccup away with brute force, so he merely repeated himself, “I said get out!”

Hiccup stepped further in, wrapping his arms around Jack's neck and pulling him down, cradling his head against his chest and resting his chin on the top of Jack's head. Jack struggled, trying to step out of his grip, but Hiccup kept him steady. Soon enough, Jack fell to his knees, his own arms wrapping around Hiccup's middle in an attempt to hug him tighter. Hiccup held onto him, leaning down a bit now so he could keep his arms around him, and he felt Jack sobbing against his stomach.

“I'm sorry,” Hiccup whispered, closing his eyes again and letting him cry, “Please, just hear me out...”

Jack nodded reluctantly, clinging to Hiccup still and refusing to lift his head to look Hiccup in the eye. Outside, Valka waited, peering around the corner of the open door to watch them, hoping they fixed all of this.

Hiccup ran his fingers through Jack's hair, trying to soothe him, and he said, “I... I thought you weren't interested in me. I thought you didn't want me, and I wanted to be more... appealing. It's stupid, I know that now, but I went to Dagur because he was a  _ solus _ and he  _ always _ bragged about all the stuff he did and I... I got jealous. I wanted to be able to brag too... I wanted to do the things everyone else was doing...

“I asked him to tell me what to do to get you interested... But when it worked, I-I got scared and I messed it up... so I asked him to teach me how to get through it. Then  _ you _ showed up a-and... Jack, I just wanted to make you happy...”

Jack sniffed a few times, trying to calm himself down, and he spoke in a muffled voice against Hiccup's stomach, “You're so  _ stupid _ !”

“I-I know...” Hiccup had to agree, feeling his chest tighten at the insult.

“You're so stupid!” Jack sobbed out again, his hands curling into fists and reeling back to pound against Hiccup's sides and chest, but they never made contact, “You should've just  _ told _ me!”

“I should've...” Hiccup agreed again, taking Jack's fists in his hands and spreading out his fingers, lacing them together and squeezing them, “I should've...”

“Don't do it again!” Jack finally sobbed, and he squeezed Hiccup's hands in return before letting go and wrapping his arms around his middle once more, “ _ Not _ without my permission!”

Hiccup felt his heart stop in his chest, and he squeaked out, “You're... You're forgiving me?”

Jack nodded against Hiccup's stomach, and now it was Hiccup's turn to start crying. The tears fell before he even realized it, and his entire body slumped forward with relief, his hands on Jack's head and his breathing becoming more labored as sobs came from his throat. Jack pulled away from where he buried his face, then pulled Hiccup down onto the floor in front of him, both of them kneeling now. He cupped Hiccup's freckled cheeks and pulled him in for a wet, teary kiss that only lasted a few seconds before they broke away for shaky breaths, only to dive back in for more.

When their kisses started going from teary, heartfelt smooches to desperate, heated searching of tongue, Valka stepped in with a rather stern, “Whoa—hey! Hey, hey, hey, don't get too excited there, boys!”

She grabbed the back of Hiccup's shirt and tugged him away, getting a choked grunt out of him as he struggled to his feet, and Jack's eyes followed him almost fearfully, as if scared he was going to be dragged away and forced to stay away from Jack forever. Valka rolled her eyes, keeping her hand on the back of Hiccup's neck like one would a moody kitten, and she said, “You're done making up. Now you're just making-out. My rule still stands, Jack.”

“S-sorry...” Jack mumbled, his cheeks turning bright and his eyes darting down to the carpet, “Got carried away...”

“Yeah, well, at least  _ try _ and wait until he's of age!” She sighed, then glared at Hiccup, “That goes for you, too, Hamish. No more fooling around with that Dagur kid.”

“Yes, ma'am...” Hiccup replied sheepishly, bringing the back of his hand to his mouth to wipe away the small trail of saliva at the corner of his mouth. Valka eyed them doubtfully, but when she seemed satisfied, she loosened her grip on the back of Hiccup's neck and instead put her hand on his shoulder.

“Well, now that that's all sorted, we should go home--” Valka began to say to her son, but he interrupted her boldly, looking up at her wide doe-eyes as he asked, “Can Jack sleep over?”

A blank look from her made Hiccup initiate a pout and plead his case, “Please? We  _ just _ made up. I just wanna be with him. We won't do anything and you and Dad will be right there! I jut wanna be with him...”

Valka peered at Jack who had his own pleading expression on his face, and with the two boys begging at her feet, she had no choice but to roll her eyes and agree.

“Come on, Jack, pack your clothes and let's go.” She said, exasperated but happy for her son. Jack nodded obediently, getting to his feet and rushing to his room. Only five minutes passed before he was back out with them, a backpack over his shoulder and a pillow tucked under his arm. Hiccup smiled wide and slipped away from his mother's grip, snatching Jack's pillow and hugging it to his chest, then hurrying outside. When he was gone, Valka sighed and looked at Jack, concern written all over her face.

“Are you sure you're okay?” She asked, and Jack's smile faltered.

“He's my life partner,” Jack said, but before Valka could interrupt with the same lecture she had given Hiccup, Jack added, “And I'm not going to give us up if he doesn't.”

Valka stared at him for a bit longer, then smiled and patted his back, “Come on, let's hurry home. Stoick is hopeless when he's left alone for too long.” she said, and Jack laughed under his breath at that as he followed her out, locking the door behind him.

Hiccup waited for them at the car, and when they arrived, he and Jack crawled into the backseat, Hiccup pressing Jack's pillow into his lap and laying down, closing his eyes and letting Jack run his fingers through his hair. Valka would glance at them through the rear view mirror, still relieved that they were able to make up after all.

Once home, Valka bid the two of them goodnight and went straight for her bedroom, tired and intent on sleeping. Jack and Hiccup went just across the hall where Hiccup's room was, and they faced opposite directions as they dressed themselves in their sleepwear. When they were as decent as a pair of sweatpants on Jack and a oversized t-shirt and shorts on Hiccup, they crawled into Hiccup's twin sized bed, Jack's back against the wall and Hiccup's against Jack's chest. They laid together quietly, Jack's arm around Hiccup's middle to keep him from rolling off the bed, and they relaxed into the mattress.

Minutes passed in silence, but neither of them could sleep. Jack's mind was looping questions and Hiccup's was merely preoccupied with the fact that Jack really did want him and thoughts of what Jack would do with him. They stayed quiet for only a few minutes longer, then the both of them looked at each other and began to speak, only to blush and laugh, insisting for the other to go first.

“Come on, I can wait,” Hiccup said, rolling over so he could face Jack more comfortably, his hand now pressed against Jack's chest, fingers tracing pointless patterns against his skin, “you first.”

Jack smiled, glancing down at Hiccup's hand, then asked, “What was it that Dagur was going to show you?”

Hiccup frowned at the question, shame apparent in his face, and Jack rushed to add, “I'm not angry... I won't get angry. I'm just curious. What did you ask him to show you?” 

Hiccup glanced up at Jack, shame turned to embarrassment, then he admitted, “I wanted him to show me what... what you meant by 'rubbing.'”

“Rubbing?” Jack repeated, and Hiccup nodded his head. Jack smiled a little, then laughed under his breath and bumped their foreheads together, still smiling. He caressed Hiccup's cheek, still looking into his eyes, and he whispered, “I can teach you that....”

Hiccup felt butterflies flutter through his stomach and he swallowed nervously, asking, “I-I'd like to learn...”

“Yeah?” Jack breathed, his hands going to the small of Hiccup's back and rubbing, making him arch just slightly as he got used to the feeling, being caught off guard, “Are you going to pull away again?”

Hiccup shook his head no, running his hand up and down Jack's arm, then gripping them when Jack moved Hiccup, readjusting them so he was straddling the teen. The bed creaked obnoxiously, but they weren't too worried about the noise. They could simply write it off as them moving in their sleep, anyways. When they were repositioned and comfortable, Jack laced their fingers together and pinned Hiccup's hands above his head, leaning down to give him a slow, gentle kiss. Hiccup leaned into it, his fingers squeezing around Jack's hands, then stayed when Jack let go of them.

“If you want to stop, just tell me,” Jack whispered against Hiccup's lips, keeping his eyes on the brunet's as his hands slid down Hiccup's body, over the oversized shirt he wore, then pushing it up far enough to give him room to pull down Hiccup's shorts. Hiccup sucked in a quick breath when he felt the cloth slide down his hips, and he squeezed his eyes shut, cheeks burning bright when Jack let out a soft chuckle. The shorts were now around Hiccup's knees, keeping him from spreading his legs out too far, and Jack's hands ran back up Hiccup's thighs.

“Very nice pattern here,” Jack whispered teasingly, and Hiccup bit his lip in embarrassment, “You've always had a thing for dragons, huh?” He ran his thumb against Hiccup's hip, tracing the outline of a cartoon dragon on Hiccup's briefs, and when he slid his thumb closer and closer to Hiccup's groin, he heard the boy beneath him gasp and hold his breath. He didn't touch him, though, and when his thumb moved away, he just had to grin at the way Hiccup whimpered.

“We're taking it slow,” Jack whispered before Hiccup could ask, leaning down to kiss him again, “Because if we don't, you won't be able to keep quiet. I don't know about you, but I don't want Valka or Stoick finding out.”

Hiccup nodded obediently, understanding Jack's worries well. His arms were still folded across each other above his head, and he refused to move them more than flexing his fingers unless Jack said otherwise. He was the one who knew what to do, anyways, and Hiccup was sure he would only mess it up if he tried.

Jack kissed him over and over, his hands slowly pushing Hiccup's shirt up his chest, following the curve of his body as it arched up against his palm. When his fingers brushed over Hiccup's nipples, the brunet's body twitched dramatically, making Jack grin.

“I've never had a virgin before...” Jack whispered, kissing Hiccup's nose, “my ex told me a lot about what it's like... Said they were extra sensitive...” He ran his fingers over Hiccup's nipples again, making the brunet swallow hard and roll his head to the left, vein in his neck already pulsing. Jack laughed under his breath and added, “I guess he was right. Not that I'm complaining, of course. It'll be nice experiencing this...”

Hiccup wanted to beg him to keep touching, but his throat just wouldn't get the words out. He was sure he was as hard as ever, but every time Jack's fingers ran over a sensitive spot on his body, he could feel himself getting even harder. He thought he was going to explode when Jack pulled his hands away, looking down at Hiccup's erection with a pleased expression. Through Jack's sweatpants, Hiccup couldn't see much of a difference, and was assuming he wasn't getting turned on. It was reasonable, of course, since Jack was doing all of the touching, but Hiccup still felt a little bummed out.

“Can I touch?” He asked in a nervous whisper, catching Jack's attention. With a smile, Jack nodded, but before Hiccup could lay a hand anywhere on him, Jack added, “Only if it's above the waistline.”

Hiccup hesitated, his eyes darting to Jack's sweats, then he sighed and agreed, sliding both hands onto Jack's stomach, then running them upwards, his own breath being stolen at the feeling of his life partner's skin beneath his fingertips.

“Feel good?” Jack asked, putting his own hands on his knees and watching Hiccup touch him, keeping his breath even and his thoughts calm. Hiccup nodded slowly, letting his hands run over every last bit of him, then he made eye contact with the man and blushed.

“But you're not hard...” Hiccup pointed out, almost embarrassed at the fact. Jack laughed under his breath and shook his head, taking Hiccup's hands and kissing his palms.

“I just want to make you feel good tonight. Don't worry about me.” Jack whispered, still holding Hiccup's hands against his lips, “That's why I don't want you touching me too far down, or else I really won't be able to stop myself.”

“But I want to have sex with you. I don't want you to just masturbate me.” Hiccup complained, and Jack smiled wider, letting go of his hands and leaning down to kiss his lips.

“I promised Valka I wouldn't sleep with you until you were of age, so take what I'm giving you.” Jack said with a grin, then he nipped at Hiccup's nose, “Don't forget, you can tell me when to stop at any time, okay?”

“... okay....” Hiccup mumbled, nodding his head slightly. He gasped, then held his breath when he felt Jack's hands on his abdomen, and his eyes slid closed as Jack's fingers slid down, hooking in the waistband of his briefs and tugging them down. Just before they rolled past his pelvis, though, Hiccup instinctively shot a hand out, grabbing Jack's wrist. Jack stopped immediately, letting go of Hiccup's underwear, and he leaned down to kiss his forehead.

“I'm sorry--” Hiccup began, but Jack wouldn't hear it and he kissed his lips to cut him off.

“It's okay, Hiccup, you're just not ready,” Jack whispered against his lips, looking up to meet Hiccup's eye, but the teen had them closed in embarrassment.

“But I  _ am _ ready,” Hiccup assured, though his grip on Jack's wrist seemed to say otherwise, “I  _ want _ this... I want  _ you _ ... I want it so bad...”

Jack felt himself blush and he grinned, kissing Hiccup's lips again, his wrist still in a tight grip, “Then you're over thinking it. You're afraid it'll go wrong, aren't you?”

Hiccup hesitated at the question, but reluctantly nodded, peeking an eye open to look at Jack, “Mostly I'm just scared that if I mess up, you won't want anything to do with me...”

Jack hummed at that, then kissed his cheek and whispered, “But messing up is the fun part. I know you're a virgin, Hic, so it might be a bit surprising to realize that sex isn't always mindless, lust-induced penetration. You gotta have fun with it, mistakes or none.”

Hiccup's other eye peeked open as well, and he stared at Jack doubtfully for a minute longer before he took a deep breath, letting go of his wrist. Jack smiled, and his fingers slid beneath his waistband once more.

“Just remember, no matter what, I'll still love you.” He whispered before he resumed pulling Hiccup's briefs down. Hiccup nodded, his eyes squeezing shut and his hips lifting so Jack could pull his underwear off easier. When he felt the cloth slide down his ass and slacken around his thighs, Hiccup had the urge to cover himself, but he refused to do so. His hands curled into fists on the bed below him, gripping the sheets tightly as he allowed Jack to take in his thin, unimpressive self.

Jack's eyes roamed hungrily, taking in every freckle, hair, and line on Hiccup's body, and even though he was able to keep calm up to that point, Jack was now fighting down a rather desperate boner. Feeling the hard-on dig against his thigh, Hiccup peeked an eye down and blushed, seeing Jack's eyes rolling over his body, then snap up to make eye contact. He looked so intense, his eyes sparkling with want, and Hiccup felt his entire body pulse. Jack wanted him, and from the looks of it, he wanted him  _ bad _ . Hiccup swallowed thickly, his heart racing, and in an attempt to make himself more appealing, he lowered his gaze and arched his back, perking out his chest, head rolled to the side, cheeks and ears red, and he nearly gasped when Jack's fingers dug tight into the skin of Hiccup's thighs.

“You're making this really hard...” Jack whispered in an upset tone, obviously disappointed that he couldn't keep himself from getting hot and bothered. Hiccup smiled a little, unable to help the small laugh that came from his throat.

“No, I'm making  _ you _ really hard.” Hiccup corrected, flashing daring eyes at Jack, “If this is all about me, then I think it'll make it better for me if you're having fun too.”

Jack stared at him for a bit, eyes squinting as he thought about it, and with a slowly growing smirk, he muttered, “Yeah... That might make it better for you...” He leaned down and kissed his lips, then nipped at his chin, then his neck, then his ear before whispering, “but can you handle it? I don't want to overwhelm you...”

“I want it,” Hiccup whispered back, his breath getting heavier, “I want you to overwhelm me...”

“Just tell me if it's too much.”

“Okay...”

They kissed slowly, Jack running his hands up and down Hiccup's thighs. When they pulled away, Jack whispered, “Open your mouth,”

Hiccup obeyed without question, eyes half-opened and following Jack. He felt a finger press against his tongue, and he almost gasped in surprise before he closed his lips around it, raising his tongue against it as it slid out, then pushed back in. He opened his lips again and two more fingers joined in, his tongue rolling along the bottoms slowly. He glanced at Jack, eyes asking if he was doing it right. Jack just smiled at him, rubbing his fingers against his tongue, then whispered, “Get between them... work it like a lollipop....”

A blank stare from Hiccup told Jack that he was honestly disappointed with his choice of words, and Jack grinned in apology, giving him a brief kiss on the forehead before he resumed watching. Hiccup did as told, slipping his tongue between his fingers and adding a little bit of suction. He almost whined when Jack slipped his fingers away, then blushed a deep red when Jack whispered, “And that's how you suck a dick.”

“That must be a weird dick if you can lick between it,” Hiccup joked, and Jack had to duck his head against Hiccup's neck as he laughed, his wet fingers pressing against Hiccup's chest, then slid down his abdomen. Hiccup gulped, goosebumps raising at the trail of cold. The air-and-spit mix was not entirely unpleasant, but noticeable.

“You're making me break my promise,” Jack whispered against his skin, his dry hand tugging down his pants and boxers, letting his own cock hang out, “I'm going to regret it tomorrow morning...”

“I'm not,” Hiccup whispered, a sly smile coming onto his face, “I'm going to use this against  _ yo—ooh my God _ ...!” His smile was wiped from his face and his eyes snapped open when he felt Jack squeeze their dicks together, his wet fingers sliding up and down their lengths, sending electric sparks up and down Hiccup's spine. Jack grinned wide, amused by his reaction, and he pulled another surprised gasp from him when he pressed two of his wet fingers against their heads, rubbing in a figure-eight along both of them. Hiccup's body jerked, his hips twitching almost desperately, while Jack merely grunted and thrusted forward, sliding against Hiccup's boner.

The teenager was busy trying to keep himself quiet, biting his lip, then his knuckle, then pulling Jack down for a sloppy kiss so he could swallow his gasps and whimpers, but Jack only slipped his tongue in, dragging out more desperate noises.

Jack tried to hold Hiccup's hips down with his free hand, but the brunet was still able to twitch up into his hand, his knees bending, then stretching out, then bending again so his toes could curl into the sheets. Slowly, Jack started rolling his hips, sliding in and out of his grip while grinding against Hiccup. With a gentle tug, Jack convinced Hiccup to follow his lead, and soon they were both thrusting into Jack's hand, though Hiccup's motion stuttered and became uneven constantly. Jack didn't care, the feeling of Hiccup fucking into his grip was only making him hotter, and from the noises that Hiccup was desperately trying to choke down and muffle, Jack knew he was feeling just as great, if not better.

“ _ Noo...”  _ Hiccup groaned out, but his hips only worked faster, his own hand dropping down to add pressure and friction, though it was a bit too small to really wrap around the both of them. Jack smirked and squeezed them a bit tighter as well, feeling Hiccup's cock pulse against him, “ _ Wait...” _

“For what?” Jack whispered, but Hiccup didn't answer him. Instead, the brunet whined and let his eyes slip shut, his hips thrusting desperately until they finally stuttered to a stop, a loud gasp tearing through him. Jack made a surprised noise, feeling hot liquid drip down his fingers. With a look down, he could see Hiccup still coming, his hips shaking from the unwinding tension. Jack gave a breath of amusement, slowly running his hand up and down Hiccup's length until the teen whined from over stimulation, and he pulled away. Jack brought his dirtied had up, licking the mess off his fingers and locking eyes with the teen, getting a flustered expression from him.

“I-I'm sorry...” He whispered, looking away from him in embarrassment, but Jack merely leaned down and kissed up Hiccup's neck, placing his still messy hand on himself and jacking himself off.

“Don't apologize,” Jack grunted into his ear, working himself faster, just so he could relieve the tension in his gut, “You were amazing. Absolutely perfect...”

Hiccup blushed when he realized what Jack was doing, his heart racing once more as he wondered if Jack was going to come on him, then he stammered, “D-do you want me to help?”

“No, you don't have to,” Jack refused, keeping his voice down as he worked the tip, then sucking in a shaky breath when he felt Hiccup's hands slide from his shoulders to his chest, then down his abdomen.

“I want to,” Hiccup whispered, kissing Jack's shoulder shyly since Jack was still hiding his face against Hiccup's neck, “Teach me how.”

Jack's hand slowed, then stopped completely when he felt Hiccup's fingertips tap against the head of his cock. He was nervous, of course, but Jack gripped Hiccup's wrist and pulled his hand closer, allowing him to touch and hold it.

“Do as I did with us,” Jack instructed, pulling away enough to look down at Hiccup's hand, watching as it started running up and down Jack's cock. He let out a slow breath, feeling the pleasure build slowly. He placed a few kisses on Hiccup's neck, gaze always returning to his hand as the teen got more comfortable with the motion. Jack's hips twitched forward when Hiccup pressed his finger against the head, rubbing in a tight circle around the slit.

The brunet shifted underneath Jack for a moment, his hand stalling, and when he was further under Jack, Hiccup lifted his head up to kiss his chest, right in the center. His hand worked faster, and Jack could feel him grin against his skin when he began to pant.

“I saw something in a video before,” Hiccup decided to whisper, already feeling himself get back in the mood at the idea he had, “Where the guy came on his girlfriend's face...”

“Fuck,” Jack whined, ducking his head and squeezing the sheets in his fists, his cock dripping at the image of Hiccup getting a facial. His reaction only spurred the brunet on, and he pushed himself further down, kissing Jack's stomach now while still pumping him.

“I-I... I wanna taste you...” Hiccup whispered hotly, twisting his hand on the upstroke, then sliding his other hand up Jack's thigh to squeeze his sack, “That's what she said in the video... is that hot?”

“Hiccup, don't--” Jack whined, breathing harder and rocking his hips into Hiccup's grip, but the

teenager cut him off.

“I wanna be hot too...” He spoke, looking up at Jack's face, “I want you to come on me...” He squeezed Jack's balls again, actually getting a moan from him that he smothered with his hand. Hiccup felt his heart race in excitement, and in the heat of them moment, he pumped Jack faster, determined to get him to come. Jack moaned again, his hips jerking forward a bit harder, and Hiccup wiggled further down, kissing Jack below his naval as he continued to pump him.

Just before Jack came, his eyes jumped down to Hiccup, seeing him working his cock and kiss at his skin, bliss written all over his face. The brunet's eyes opened and they locked eyes, and when Hiccup smirked at him, Jack couldn't hold back. He gasped Hiccup's name and, with his eyes still on his little life partner, he came. Hiccup flinched at first, eyes squeezing shut and face scrunching up as his jizz hit his chin, but with the second squirt, Hiccup actually blushed and smiled, cum now running down his cheek, too. Jack took in shaky breaths, his body shaking and his eyes wide, watching as Hiccup wiped the cum from his cheek.

“Does it taste good?” He asked honestly, looking up at Jack.

“It's... it's an acquired taste.” Jack replied half-truthfully, still trying to catch his breath. He laid on his side, giving Hiccup space for him to push himself up so they were eye-level again. Jack laughed weakly as he looked over Hiccup's dirtied face, and he ran his fingers through some of it, trying to clean him up, “You really shouldn't fall asleep with this all over your face. We should clean you up in the bathroom.”

Hiccup hummed softly, still debating whether or not he wanted to taste Jack's load, but before he could decide, Jack leaned in and sealed his lips over Hiccup's fingers earning a surprised look from the teen.

“Jack, that's--” Hiccup started, but Jack didn't let him finish.

“Come on, let's clean you up.” He said with a grin, getting up from the bed and pulling up his boxers. Hiccup huffed, then followed after him, pulling on his own briefs and shorts, then pushing his t-shirt back down.

As they washed their faces, still trying to be as quiet as possible, Jack peered at Hiccup with a sudden look of shock and curiosity, “You talk dirty.”

Hiccup glanced at Jack, blushing, and he continued to wipe his face clean, “Yeah... I thought it would help cause I didn't know what to do with my hands...”

Jack stared at him for a bit longer, then he leaned in to kiss him, surprising the teen, “I love you,”

“Jack?”

“And when you're eighteen we're so having phone sex.”

Hiccup groaned in dismay, the age-limit being set back in place, but before he could really complain about it, Jack added with a devious smile, “But we can always rub again if you want to...”

Hiccup's pout turned into a smile, and he pulled Jack down for another kiss.

 


	6. Camp

“Can't you just sneak one?” Jack asked with a pout as he and Hiccup sat in his room, leaning against the wall with their arms around each other, “I can't just  _ not _ talk to you!”

“I told you, Jack, they said no cellphones.” Hiccup said with a shrug, playing with Jack's fingers, then he rested his head on Jack's shoulder, “I don't want to get kicked out. This camp is like every kid's dream!”

“For an entire summer break, though? It's not  _ my _ dream...” Jack complained, hugging Hiccup tighter and nuzzling his neck, making the teen laugh delightedly. The brunet smiled and turned in Jack's arms, wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss.

“I'll be back before you know it,” Hiccup said softly, running his fingers through Jack's hair, rubbing his scalp soothingly, “I promise you, it won't be that bad.”

“For you maybe. They're teaching you all these survival skills and engineering bullcrap and you're ditching me so you can play with bottle rockets and make really cool stuff,” Jack huffed, not at all believing in anything he was saying. He just wanted to whine for the sake of it, and Hiccup knew that all too well.

“You're just upset that we can't 'rub' again,” Hiccup teased in a whisper, leaning in to kiss Jack again so he couldn't deny it. His tongue pressed in and Jack grunted at the initiative, but kissing Hiccup only made Jack think about what he was really worried about.

When they pulled away, Jack couldn't help himself and he blurted out, “You won't... you won't do anything with the other students there, right?”

Hiccup's smile vanished in a second and he turned his gaze down in shame, “Jack, that was just...” he sighed, closing his eyes. He knew that refusing responsibility over his actions wasn't what Jack needed, and instead said, “I won't do anything with them. I promise, the only person I'll ever want is you.”

Jack didn't seem entirely convinced, but he appreciated the sentiment. He nodded quietly, running his hands up and down Hiccup's sides, then he kissed his forehead, whispering, “Thank you, Hic. I trust you.”

Hiccup smiled and played with Jack's hair, only to be interrupted when Valka called out to him, telling him that they had to go. Valka and Stoick were only dropping Hiccup off and, being courteous to the both of them, Jack decided to skip out on the ride there and back. His goodbye time was before Hiccup got in the car, and now that was at an end.

“I love you,” Jack whispered, cradling Hiccup's cheeks in his hands and kissing him again, long and deep, “Eat a ton of s'mores. Kick everyone else's ass. Show them who the real bottle-rocket champion is.”

Hiccup grinned against Jack's lips and whispered, “I love you, too. I'll make sure to wipe the floor with them.”

“That's my Hiccup.” Jack chuckled, squeezing his sides, then gently pushing him up, helping him gather up his suitcases and drag them downstairs and into the car. Once everything was packed and ready to go, Jack and Hiccup looked at each other one more time.

“See you in two months?” Jack asked, and Hiccup nodded with a smile.

“You can make it two months without me. Plus, Mom said she'll make sure you're okay.” Hiccup said with a chuckle, and Jack merely blushed at the teasing, giving Hiccup a goodbye hug. Hiccup wrapped his arms around the older man, closing his eyes and taking as much as he could out of it, knowing he won't be able to contact him or his parents for the entire summer. “I'll miss you,” he whispered, and Jack replied the same.

“Don't forget about me, okay?” Jack added, pulling away and cradling Hiccup's cheeks, “and have fun.”

“Got it,” Hiccup nodded, and with that, he got in the car, waving at Jack as they drove away. Jack sighed, watching them drive down the road and turn, then he left himself.

He spent the next week doing his jobs, cleaning Valka's house when she was at work and making small-talk with Stoick, then going in to Gobber's shop and working on a customer or two. He did it like clockwork because it was what he was used to, but by the second week, he was already feeling like he needed Hiccup back.

He considered swinging by the campsite and sneaking in, surprising his little life partner, but he wasn't sure if Hiccup would like that. The teen was excited about camp, and he really didn't want to get kicked out. He was extremely adamant about the phone thing, so Jack knew if he swung by, Hiccup would only get mad at him. Plus, Jack would hate himself forever if he got Hiccup kicked out of something he had been looking forward to all year.

In an effort to distract himself, Jack took longer hours at Gobber's store. He would clean Valka's house earlier in the day, then spend the rest of it in the shop, cleaning the store or fixing clocks. His attendance didn't go unnoticed, but Gobber didn't think to bring it up at first, merely thinking Jack was in need of a bit more money. He offered a raise, but Jack refused, unaware of Gobber's intentions.

“Jack, if you need more money, you just have to ask,” Gobber said at the third week, sitting beside the brunet as he worked on another customer, doing a reset on her clock. Only two numbers were out, so it wasn't too hard or time-consuming. Then again, the process never was.

“I'm fine, Gobber. Really. I have more than enough,” Jack said flatly, focused on the woman's arm, who merely glanced between them as they talked.

“You keep coming into work earlier, Jack,” Gobber pointed out, poking a finger at Jack's shoulder, making him make a discontented noise as he tried to keep his hand steady, “And you're staying later, too. Don't think I haven't noticed, lad, you're like family. Family has to look out for each other. If you need money--”

Jack sighed, slumping his shoulders and pausing the procedure on the woman, looking at Gobber instead, “It's not money,” He said again, giving him a certain look, “I'm just... trying to get time to go by faster. I want Hiccup to come back already.”

Gobber's unsure frown turned into a teasing grin and Jack quickly finished up the woman, apologizing for the delay and getting a shy smile in return. She paid Gobber out of pocket, making Jack gawk a bit. He was still unused to halfers walking around with so much cash, and seeing their customers pull out wads of money made him sweat a little. When she left, Gobber turned to Jack and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Why didn't you say so, lad?” He chuckled, pushing him a little, then patting his shoulder, making him grunt, “Here I am, worrying that your rent went up again.”

Jack laughed weakly, blushing now, and he admitted, “I thought it was a little... embarrassing.”

“Ain't nothing wrong with missing your love, Jack.” Gobber said with a shrug, “I don't think Hiccup knows how good he's got it with you at his hip. That boy can be pretty stupid considering how smart he is, aye?”

Jack laughed shyly, rubbing the back of his neck, “No, don't get it wrong. I just spoil him too much.”

“That you do,” Gobber agreed without a fight, only turning his attention away when the bell above the door rang, alerting them to another customer.

Jack frowned, turning his head towards the stairs that led down, and said, “I didn't think we had another customer...”

“We don't... At least, nothing booked.” Gobber hummed, scratching his cheek absentmindedly before pushing himself up, back cracking in three places, “Well, we'll see what the damage is. Maybe we'll make a bit extra today.”

Jack made an agreeing noise in the back of his throat, mumbling a short, “Okay,” as he turned back to his workbench, cleaning up his tools and sanitizing them, just in case they had enough time to take care of whoever it was.

He could hear Gobber greeting the customer, his voice loud enough to echo up the stairs as he started with a, “Well, hello, sir! What can I do for you?”

The man spoke, but Jack couldn't hear his words as clearly, so he didn't try to. He organized his toolbox, vaguely wondering when Gobber was going to show him how to replace a bad number when he heard his name shouted from downstairs. He got to his feet just as Gobber yelled, “Someone's here for you!”

Jack made his way down the stairs quickly, calling out an annoyed, “Who would be here for--” but when he saw who it was, he stopped in the middle of the staircase, his heart still and his blood frozen. Golden-brown eyes stared back at him and the man fiddled with the sleeve of his jacket before clearing his throat.

“Hello, Jack.” He said simply, and even his voice made Jack want to vomit. He took a step back up the stairs, but Pitch spoke before he could run away, “I want to talk with you.”

“I don't.” Jack said immediately, crossing his right arm across his stomach, then folding his left over it. Gobber's eyes narrowed suspiciously at this, and he quickly intervened, standing to get Pitch's attention.

“Maybe it'd be best if you left,” He said, stepping out from around the counter, “We're closing the shop soon, and we really need to get the place cleaned.”

Pitch looked at Gobber with a frown, then looked back up at Jack before sighing, “Jack, please--”

“Get out.” Jack interrupted him, taking another step up the stairs. He couldn't bear to look at him any longer, fear already wracking his body. He was safe, though, he had Gobber. He had distance. He could run if he wanted to. He knew what to expect.

“I just... I wanted to apologize.” Pitch said, and he spoke quickly so Jack couldn't interrupt him, “I know it's been more than seven years and I know you've already met... whoever it was, but I know what I feel for you. I might be a solus, but I  _ know _ you were meant for me. Our... Our clocks are broken, that's all. I love you, Jack!”

Gobber stepped up, pushing Pitch by the shoulders towards the door, “That's enough of that, now. Get out! If you're only here to harass my boy, then you have no business here!”

“Let go of me, you incompetent--” Pitch hissed out, shoving back, but Gobber continued to push, effectively getting Pitch outside and locking the door. Jack sunk down on the stairs, his entire body shaking now, and he gripped the railing as if it were his lifeline. He felt like crying or screaming or hiding, but he couldn't move from where he sat, and that seemed just as fine.

Gobber quickly went to Jack, trying to make sure he was okay, but he knew he wasn't. He tried getting Jack to stand, but the man's legs refused to work, his knees wobbling too hard.

“Just leave me here,” Jack gasped, falling back on the stairs for the third time. He clung tightly to the railing, closing his eyes and forcing the tears back, “I'm fine, just leave me...”

“I ain't leaving you like this, Jack,” Gobber refused, trying to think quickly on how to calm Jack down. He hummed lowly, looking around the store as if he would find something, then he made an 'a ha!' noise and hurried down the stairs, grabbing something from his desk.

When he returned, he merely placed the picture frame on Jack's lap, then took out his phone and dialed a number, pressing it against Jack's ear as it rang. Jack tried squirming away, wanting to slap the phone away and shove the picture that he didn't look at down the stairs, but when the automated voice message began to play, Jack stopped fighting completely. Through the phone he heard Hiccup's voice, simply stating that he's sorry for missing the call and that he'd call back as soon as possible. Slowly, Jack looked down at the picture in his lap, and without his permission, a tear rolled down his cheek. Hiccup smiled at him, wrapped up in Valka's arms with a party-hat hanging sideways off of his head. He stared at the picture even when the phone beeped, starting to record a message. Jack didn't speak, he merely sat there and cried quietly.

“It's better now, aye?” Gobber asked, not knowing the phone was recording now. Jack nodded silently, sucking in a shaking breath. “Will you tell me who that was?”

Jack stayed quiet for a bit longer, eyes fixated on Hiccup's face, then he whispered, “Pitch Black... He's the one who...” He ran his fingers down his arm, over the scarred numbers, and Gobber took a slow, hateful breath, face darkening.

“You shouldn't stay home alone tonight. I'll call Valka--” Gobber began, but Jack immediately cut him off with a furtive shake of his head.

“No! Don't tell her!” He said, locking eyes with him, “If you tell her, she'll just tell Hiccup when he gets back. I don't need him to know. I don't  _ want _ him to know.”

“Jack, if you're in danger--”

“Just let me stay with you instead, if you're really worried. Just don't tell Valka.” Jack insisted, putting a hand over Gobber's, pushing the phone away from him, “It's better if he doesn't know.”

Gobber stared at Jack for a while, surprised, but he nodded anyway. He closed his phone and put it away, then said, “Come on, then. You'll spend the night with me. Hope you like the couch.”

Jack took a slow breath, letting Gobber help him to his feet and down the stairs. His legs still wobbled, but he was able to walk forward now, and that was all that mattered. Gobber checked outside first, and when he was sure Pitch wasn't waiting for them, he led Jack out, walking with him to his car and putting him in the passenger's seat.

They arrived at Gobber's apartment shortly after, and Jack made himself comfortable on the couch, falling asleep even though it was only seven. Gobber didn't complain.

The next week went without a hitch, Pitch not returning to the shop at all, so Jack thought it was safe to return home. He didn't want to bother Gobber more than necessary, but Gobber reassured him that he could stay over if he needed to. He even gave the man a key to his house, telling him to use it if he needed to.

Jack was honestly touched, but he promised himself that he wouldn't bother the man unless it was an emergency. He hung the key on his key ring and settled back into his apartment, getting used to being alone again and relaxing as the week went on.

Towards the end of it, Jack was proud of himself for not breaking down and going to Gobber—or Valka and Stoick, for that matter—and he celebrated with a small bowl of ice cream and a few home-made videos of Hiccup and Jack throughout Hiccup's childhood, followed by light TV. He didn't think much of it when he heard a knock on his door, immediately assuming it was the owner of the complex. The man was really nice and attentive, and he probably noticed Jack's absence. Jack wouldn't have blamed him if he didn't, though, the man was getting older.

Without further ado, Jack got up to answer the door, letting the TV play in the background. When he swung the door open, though, he immediately regretted it. He wasn't able to slam it shut before he was shoved back into his apartment, Pitch kicking the door shut behind him and pinning Jack against it. Jack grunted in pain, panic swelling in his chest, and he almost shouted for help before Pitch slammed their lips together, using brute force to try and calm Jack down.

“Just give me a chance to explain myself,” Pitch begged when he pulled away after he was sure Jack wouldn't shout again. Jack struggled against Pitch's grip, breathing harder and trying to get him off, but Pitch held him tight.

“You ripped open my  _ arm _ ! You don't deserve a chance!” Jack yelled angrily, trying to kick Pitch back, but the man only stepped closer, refraining Jack from lifting his leg high enough.

“Jack,  _ please _ . I didn't want you to leave me, we were  _ made _ for each other! You were a  _ solus _ before! You were  _ mine _ before!” Pitch hissed out, grabbing Jack's wrists and pinning them at his sides, resting their foreheads together, “I need you, and you need me...”

“I don't need anyone!” Jack huffed, still trying to squirm out of Pitch's grip. The man smirked at that, locking eyes with Jack and agreeing.

“I guess not... You don't even live with your life partner, huh? Where is he, Jack? Where's the man you left me for?” Pitch asked, lifting his head from Jack's and looking around the apartment, “Did he leave you, Jack? I told you, our clocks were wrong.”

“My clock was not wrong!” Jack yelled angrily, struggling again, “And he's at a camp right now, asshole!”

“Camp?” Pitch repeated, then laughed cruelly, “What, did you fall in love with some kind of camp counselor? Does he leave you every summer to spend time with those little brats rather than you?”

“Shut up.” Jack growled, but that only made Pitch laugh more, even though he was completely off the mark.

“I bet he can't fuck you like I can,” Pitch purred out, grabbing Jack by the jaw and squeezing, making his mind go numb in fear. He could already feel the ghost of a knife sliding through his skin, and he quickly looked around as best as he could to make sure there was nothing Pitch could use around them.

“You don't know what you're talking about!” He growled through gritted teeth, but then Pitch pressed their bodies together and Jack gasped, taken off guard. He ground against him hard, grunting lowly while Jack moaned, but the brunet used his free hand to try and shove Pitch away, yelling at him to stop.

“Don't lie to me, Jack!” Pitch yelled, though he did stop his movements and even gave their bodies space from one another, “You want me, I know you do. I can tell when you're starved of attention, and seeing you now? You're practically drooling for it. How much does that crappy life partner of yours touch you, huh? How many times a week—no, a  _ month _ does he shove it in you? How many times does he actually make you come, huh?”

“He doesn't!” Jack finally gave in, but before Pitch could make a spiel about how right he was, Jack added, “He's sixteen! The only reason why I'm 'drooling' is because I've been telling him no!”

Pitch stared at him in shock, the news absolutely impossible to him, but he had to believe it. He knew when Jack lied, and the teary eyes and quivering lip only showed signs on fear, not dishonesty. Pitch carefully let go of him, eyes lowering to the ground, then he asked, “Do you really hate me?”

“Yes.” Jack answered without hesitation, stepping away from the door and crossing his arms so he couldn't be trapped again. Pitch followed him with his eyes, then looked towards the door. He couldn't accept that. He loved Jack, and he knew Jack still had to love him...

“What I did... was for  _ us _ .” Pitch tried to explain, but Jack only shook his head no.

“What you did was for you.” Jack corrected, and Pitch couldn't respond. Jack took a slow breath, then said, “I love my life partner... I don't love you.”

Pitch stared at him for a bit longer, completely heartbroken, but he refused to give up. Instead, he balled his hands into fists, then spat out his address like a curse, along with, “When you realize how stupid you're being, come to me. I'm not going to let you ruin your life over a stupid teenager.”

With that, he left, and Jack crumpled to the floor, back pressed against the side of the couch as he sobbed and tried to calm himself down, unable to help the tremors that wracked his body. He was surprised he had been able to make it through that entire conversation without breaking down like he was now, and he quickly dialed Hiccup's number in an attempt to calm himself down. When he heard the teen's cracking voice reciting the recorded message, Jack could feel his heart rate return to normal and he closed his eyes. When the tone sounded, Jack just sighed and whispered softly, “I love you, Hiccup.” before he hung up, keeping his eyes closed.

He still had little over a month left until Hiccup was back home, and Jack was even more impatient than before.

 


	7. Voicemail

Pitch didn't bother him for the rest of the summer. Jack assumed the man was simply waiting at his place for Jack to show up, but Jack never did. He wasn't planning to, and he never wrote Pitch's address down or anything. He assumed he forgot what it was, and hoped Pitch would take his absence as a hint, but he doubted he would. He was only waiting, but Jack knew Pitch could be impatient. It was only a matter of time before the man hunted him down again.

Luckily for Jack, he wouldn't have to face it alone. Hiccup was coming home that afternoon, and Jack decided to wait for him at his house. Gobber allowed him the day off, and Stoick even helped him clean so he could relax before Hiccup arrived. They sat in the living room, beers in hand, and they chatted about missing Hiccup and wondering what he had been up to. Stoick suggested a few times that he wouldn't be surprised if Hiccup came home with a metal of some sort, and Jack had to agree.

At around two o'clock, Valka sent Stoick and Jack a text that she was picking up Hiccup now, and the both of them could barely contain themselves—though Stoick was better at it than Jack was. The brunet's foot tapped insistently, his fingers thrumming against the glass bottle, and he was constantly looking towards the door.

The third time he was caught looking, Stoick laughed at him and said, “You know, Jack, you'll hear the garage before you see them.”

“I'm just... I'm really excited to see him again. I missed him,” Jack explained with a blush, trying to calm himself again, but his fingers wouldn't stop tapping. Stoick rolled his eyes, then stood and said, “I'm going to have something to eat. Valka made a cake yesterday, would you like a slice?”

While cake did sound rather good, Jack was pretty sure he wouldn't be able to keep it down due to his excitement. He reluctantly declined, pouting a little at himself, but his mood immediately shot up when he heard the garage door opening. He jolted to his feet, placing the beer bottle on the counter, and he looked at the door expectantly. When it first swung open, Jack held his breath, but was disappointed when he saw it was only Valka.

He was even more worried when she grinned that all-knowing smile, and he wondered what she had planned.

“Jack, you might want to sit down,” She said, and Jack's brows knitted together in uncertainty. He sat anyway, though he did so reluctantly, and when he was seated, Valka stepped aside and dragged a large suitcase with her. Behind her, Jack heard his Hiccup speak in a surprisingly even voice, no cracking or wavering.

“Mom, seriously, you're being dramatic about it,” He whined, and Jack felt his heart race. He was about to jump up to his feet and run into the garage so he could find his little Hiccup and hold him close, but just as he got to his feet, Hiccup stepped into the house. He was taller, older, and all his baby-fat in his face was gone. He was still remarkably skinny, but his shoulders had broadened out and his legs looked tight. His clothes were all just a bit too small, and it was obvious he had to do some impromptu shopping right away lest he be stuck with mid-calf pants and tight, midriff t-shirts. His hair was a bit longer, his face a bit harder, and he even had a little stubble lining his chin.

Jack's eyes were wide, his jaw hanging open, and he carefully lowered himself back onto the chair he had been sitting on. His attention was glued on Hiccup, rolling over his body and his face, taking in every new shape and curve until he thought he would have to ask to use the shower, but he was still frozen to the spot. His little Hiccup... wasn't so little anymore. He was tall, fit, almost like a cross-country runner, and his  _ face _ . Oh, Jack would have bad,  _ bad _ dreams about that face...

That was about the time that Stoick stepped into the room, looking down at his son, and nearly dropping his slice of cake. Hiccup shot the man a confused look, then turned back to Jack who was  _ still _ staring, and he huffed out, “Jeez, is it really that obvious?”

Valka began to laugh, and she shook her head and said, “Yes, Hiccup! I'm telling you, this is one hell of a growth spurt!”

Stoick's eyes ran over his son's physique, then paused when he spotted something around the brunet's neck. With a shout, he threw a fist into the air and said victoriously, “I was right! He came home with a medal!”

Hiccup flinched at this sudden outcry, then laughed and showed it off, explaining, “Yeah, I won it for best model-rocket. I wiped the floor with them,” He shot Jack a grin, and the man couldn't help but grin in return. New body, same old Hiccup.

Jack pushed himself to his feet, then, finally able to stand upright, and he went to Hiccup, measuring himself up against him. He brought a hand up, finding he only reached up to Hiccup's nose, and he glared at the teen, “Who said you could be the tall one, young man?”

“The Gods of height, apparently,” Hiccup teased, his cheeks turning a light pink as he laced their fingers together, as if he really missed him too. Jack pouted more, and he squeezed Hiccup's hands in his, then pulled him into a tight hug, not wanting to let go. Hiccup gasped softly, but he wrapped his arms around Jack's middle, holding him tighter.

Jack pulled back to grab Hiccup's cheeks and pull him down for a kiss, getting a surprised noise from him, followed by a pleased hum. Seconds into their kiss, and Valka was already stepping in.

“I know you two have a lot of catching up to do, but we have an emergency right now,” She said in a serious tone, getting their attention. Hiccup blanched while Jack frowned in worry, and when Valka was sure she had them anticipating her next words, she said, “Jack, take Hiccup clothes shopping right away, he looks a downright mess!”

Jack's eyebrows shot up in surprise and Hiccup groaned in embarrassment, but the shorter man grinned and nodded eagerly, looking back at Hiccup excitedly, “Come on, if we leave now, we'll have more time to find you stuff!”

“I don't like shopping!” Hiccup complained, but Jack would have none of it and he merely began to drag Hiccup out of the house, ignoring his whines and complaints and his pleas to stay inside. Valka wished them good luck, and just as they stepped out of the house, Jack could vaguely hear Stoick ask his wife:

“Is it really a good idea to leave them alone right after...?”

“They'll be fine. Jack's a good boy.” Valka was sure, and the door was closed soon after.

And of course Jack was a good boy. He opened the door for Hiccup to get in his car and made sure he drove safely to the mall. He was such a good boy that he would have never dreamed to just throw himself at his life partner so dramatically, even though they hadn't seen each other in two months. But once they were in the parking lot at the mall, Jack started wondering if being a good boy was really worth it.

He turned to look at Hiccup, and Hiccup met his gaze easily, a small smile on his lips and his eyes practically taunting him with an “are you going to do something?” sort of look. They stared at each other for a moment longer, then Hiccup rolled his eyes and opened the car door.

And that was when Jack decided that being a good boy could be saved for later.

He reached over, grabbing the handle before Hiccup could open it completely, and he yanked the door shut again. Hiccup's teasing gaze returned and he looked at Jack through the corner of his eye, seeing the man maneuver over the seats and into Hiccup's lap.

“Finally,” Hiccup gasped, being pulled into a deep kiss and groaning when Jack pressed his tongue in.

“Shut up,” Jack whispered, when he pulled back, only to dive back in for another kiss, “How did this happen? How did you get so... so...--”

“If you say 'hot', I swear to— _ oh, fuck _ ...” He gasped, back arching when Jack's hand slipped between them, cupping Hiccup and squeezing him.

“I was going to say 'sexy', but 'hot' works too.” Jack purred out, squeezing him again to get another hot noise out of him. They kissed again, all teeth and tongue, and Hiccup slid his hands onto Jack's ass, pulling him flush against his body and rocking up against him, making the man moan against his lips.

But then Jack pulled away with a gasp, cheeks bright red, and he stammered, “Shit, n-no, I can't...  _ fuck _ , I can't do this with you...”

“C'mon, Jack, we're just gunna rub a little,” Hiccup said with a smirk, but he was still denied.

“No, I... I need some air, I can't...” He sucked in a shaky breath, then admitted, “If we keep going, Hiccup, I won't be able to stop. I need to... I need to get used to you.”

Hiccup sighed in resignation, a frown on his face, but he nodded in understanding, “Fine... but when you get 'used' to me, can we rub again?”

Jack smiled a little, then opened the car door and got out, fixing his clothes quickly. Hiccup followed after him, discreetly shifting himself in his pants, then he closed the door behind him.

“Just choose the place and I'll choose the time,” Jack said with a grin, and Hiccup wrapped his arms around him to kiss his cheek.

“Your place?” Hiccup suggested in a whisper, and Jack laughed under his breath.

“You're a terrible influence on me, Hic,” Jack complained, and the brunet merely kissed his cheek again.

“C'mon, we have to at least get to the mall and say we tried.” He said with a roll of his eyes, lacing their fingers together and walking with him towards the entrance. Once inside, they found it wasn't entirely crowded, much to Hiccup's relief.

“You really don't like shopping?” Jack asked, walking alongside him as he glanced through the shop windows, wondering what would look best on him.

“Well, I don't like shopping with Mom and Dad. Haven't done it with you,” Hiccup pointed out, and he smirked, “So maybe you'll be funner to shop with.”

“Okay, saying this now just in case, but we're not going to be getting down in one of the dressing rooms, got it?” Jack said flatly, and Hiccup actually snorted in laughter.

“Not what I meant, but that does seem like a pretty good idea,” Hiccup said with a shrug, and Jack playfully punched him in his arm.

\--------------------------

Hiccup sighed as he laid with Jack on his twin-sized bed. Jack's arms were tight around him, his breathing slow and in tempo with that of a sleeping man, and Hiccup merely listened to his gentle heartbeat. He was taller than the other now, but that didn't mean he didn't want to be the little spoon anymore. He closed his eyes for a time until his cell phone buzzed with a message, and he sighed and shuffled around slowly for his device, trying his best not to wake Jack.

When he had succeeded, he wrapped his arms around Jack once more and looked at his phone screen from over the sleeping man's shoulder. He had received a text from his friend, Astrid, asking about his camping trip, but that didn't catch his attention. What did were the two voicemails he seemed to have received while he was gone.

With a sigh, Hiccup opened his voicemail, and he held the device to his ear. He closed his eyes once more and listened as his inbox went through its typical intro, telling him that he had two voice messages waiting for him.

His eyebrows furrowed when the first message started off with a sharp, shuddering breath.

_“It's better now, aye?”_ Gobber's voice came from the phone, and Hiccup's eyes opened in curiosity, _“Will you tell me who that was?”_

There was gentle breathing coming from the recording, but soon a response came in Jack's own voice, and with his words, Hiccup couldn't help but sit up, _“Pitch Black... He's the one who...”_ Jack woke up from the movement, and he grumbled a little, his arms loose around Hiccup's waist.

_“Come back,”_ He whispered, but Hiccup ignored him and instead listened to the message.

_“You shouldn't stay home alone tonight. I'll call Valka--”_ Gobber spoke up, and Hiccup briefly nodded before Jack's voice cut through, equal parts fearful and panicked.

_ “No! Don't tell her! If you tell her, she'll just tell Hiccup when he gets back. I don't need him to know. I don't want him to know.” _ Jack had pleaded, and Hiccup felt his chest tighten. Why didn't he want him to know? Why didn't he want him to worry?

“Hiccup?” Jack whispered into the night, peeking open an eye to see his life partner up and awake and with a phone to his ear, “What's the matter?”

_“Jack, if you're in danger--”_

_“Just let me stay with you instead, if you're really worried. Just don't tell Valka. It's better if he doesn't know.”_

Jack sat up when Hiccup still didn't respond, and he kissed Hiccup's shoulder softly before asking, “Hic, who is it? Lay back down, I'm cold...”

“Hush,” Hiccup whispered, his eyes brimming with tears as the next message began to play. He felt.... well, he didn't know how he felt. Hurt, but worried, and understanding, but still confused. Why hadn't Jack told him the moment he had walked through the door? Why hadn't he told him the many times the two days between his arrival home and that night that they had been alone what had happened?

The next message began to play after a beep, but it began with sobbing, and was much shorter than the last. He knew it to be Jack, and he felt his heart break when he heard him whimper out a simple, “ _I love you, Hiccup...”_

He couldn't help the tears that fell from his cheeks, and when Jack spotted them, he frowned and wrapped his arms tighter around the teen, pressing him against his chest and kissing him over and over, trying to shoo away whatever brought on his life partner's sadness. He pressed his lips to Hiccup's shoulder once more, then whispered, “Tell me what happened...”

Hiccup took in a shuddering breath, then whispered back, “I think you should tell me first...”

Jack frowned in confusion, his eyes darting up to Hiccup's tear-streaked face, and when he didn't seem to understand, Hiccup whispered, “These messages... about... about Pitch Black...”

He could feel Jack's grip on him tighten, could feel his heart race against Hiccup's back, and when he heard the older man suck in a shuddering breath, Hiccup was quick to speak.

“You know I love you, Jack... You know I would do what I can to keep you safe...”

Jack closed his eyes, hiding his face against Hiccup's neck, and he nodded, “I know...”

“So why didn't you tell me?” Hiccup pressed, his phone long forgotten, though it was requesting his input on whether or not to delete the messages, “Jack, he could have... he could have....”

“But he didn't,” Jack interrupted, sounding firm now, “He didn't and he's left me alone for months now. I'm not in danger, Hiccup. He's not going to bother me.”

Hiccup closed his eyes, unsure whether or not he should believe the man... but he didn't think Jack would need any more negativity when it came to the topic of Pitch Black. He took another, slow breath, then turned in Jack's arms, pushing the older man against the bed awkwardly and wrapping his arms around him, hugging him tight, as if that would keep him safe. Jack grunted lightly from the strength, something he had never once guessed Hiccup would have much of, but in this grip, he truly felt how much the teen cared for him.

“If he comes, I'll fight him off,” Hiccup promised, pulling back to give Jack kiss after kiss, and Jack took each and every one gratefully and with something akin to desperation, though he thought Hiccup's words to be foolish. “I'll kill him if I have to. I'd do anything to keep you safe, Jack...”

“No, Hiccup...” Jack sighed, pulling away from one of Hiccup's kisses and getting a worried look from the boy, “If you do that, you'll be put in jail.”

Hiccup pursed his lips, then grinned and said, “Then I'll make sure you're framed as well. And they'll be forced to incarcerate both of us.”

Jack rolled his eyes, and he cupped Hiccup's cheeks in his hands before he pulled him down for a longer kiss, only to slip away and whisper, “Asshole.”

“Shut up. I'm being romantic,” Hiccup laughed weakly, pressing his forehead against Jack's and looking down into his eyes.

Jack laughed with him, looking up into his eyes, and they shared one last kiss before Jack whispered, “Alright, my knight in shining dragon-patterned underpants, you begged your mom for a sleepover, so we're going to sleep.”

“Old man,” Hiccup jested lightly, and Jack snickered, unable to refute that much.

“You're the one who's so eager to jump my bones, though. What does that say about you?” Jack questioned him, rolling them over so Hiccup was laying beside Jack, tucked against his chest and their legs tangled up with each other.

“Hmm, why don't we check?” Hiccup grinned, wriggling until his right arm popped free from between them, displaying his gently glowing green zeroes. Then, he dug out Jack's arm, displaying an equal set of green zeroes, hidden amongst scarred tissue that had faded only barely over time.

“Yep,” Hiccup confirmed, running his fingers over Jack's zeroes, ignoring how bumpy his skin was, “Looks like I'm completely normal. Unless you think the kind of life partners we are is the friendly kind.”

“Please, with the way puberty hit you?” Jack snorted, “Now stop bugging me and be a good little spoon. Sleepy time.” And with that, he tugged Hiccup back down against the bed, grabbing both of his arms and yanking them back around his middle. Hiccup continued to giggle, but Jack held him steady, and he tried silencing him with a few more light kisses before the man finally settled.

They were quiet for a while longer, Jack nodding off once more, but he was awoken when Hiccup whispered his name.

“Jack?”

The man in question groaned in annoyance, his eyes rolling open, then they fell down to Hiccup, who looked up at him with big green eyes.

“What?” He huffed, furrowing his brows.

“I love you,” Hiccup whispered with a brief shrug of his shoulders, and Jack's expression relaxed a bit. Jack sighed softly, then he lifted a hand and brushed his thumb against Hiccup's cheek, getting a small smile from him.

“Love you too,” Jack replied gently, “Now lovingly shut up and let me sleep.”

Hiccup laughed again.

 


	8. Eighteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Your comments feed the scribe i have trapped in my basement. Don't let him starve.

Hiccup had a problem. A big, _big_ problem.

He was eighteen now. In fact, he was eighteen and two months, ten days, and twelve hours...

And he still hasn't had sex with Jack.

It wasn't Jack's fault, of course. In fact, Jack was the one who suggested it first. It started out familiar enough, Hiccup and Jack were watching movies in Jack's apartment for Hiccup's birthday, cuddling on the couch, kissing a bit more than paying attention. Soon, their kissing turned to touching, then grinding, and just as Hiccup was really starting to get into it, Jack said it.

“I wanna fuck you...”

It was so hot. So unbearably hot, the way his voice grated, the way he growled it out, the way his nails dug into Hiccup's arms when the words slipped out from between his teeth.

But once Hiccup heard them, his heart pounded and he practically threw himself to the other side of the couch, eyes wide. Jack was... embarrassed. He kept apologizing for the rest of the night, promising he wouldn't do anything, and he even went so far as sitting on his hands for the rest of the movie, doing his best to make Hiccup comfortable again.

They talked about it, decided it must have been the way Jack said it, and a week later, they were sitting in Jack's car, seats leaned back and sunroof opened. The stars were out and the night was cold, so they shared a blanket and their body warmth. Hiccup started it this time, slipping a hand under Jack's shirt and touching him until he felt Jack's hand sneaking down his pants. They touched each other lazily, then Jack climbed into Hiccup's lap and they touched a little less lazily.

“I wanna make love to you...” Jack whispered into Hiccup's ear, and it was as if someone dropped an entire bucket of ice in Hiccup's pants.

He struggled out of the car, talking loudly about the sky and fresh air, and Jack was left feeling embarrassed again in the car, wrapped up in his blanket.

They talked about it, decided that maybe Hiccup should be in control, and a week later, they found themselves in Hiccup's bedroom, playing video games. They devised a clever system that whoever lost that round in Brawl had to do something small for the other, and the game quickly turned from “say the alphabet backwards” to “Give me a lap dance.” Half a strip-tease in, Jack was straddling Hiccup's thighs, pants open and shirt off, and they both couldn't deny each other anymore. Their game was forgotten, a much more interesting activity in front of them. Hiccup had Jack kneeling on the floor, elbows and cheek pressed against the carpet as Hiccup ground against his ass from behind.

“Give it to me!” Jack gasped, tugging his pants off completely, “Give me your cock...!”

And Hiccup, for lack of better words, froze up. Jack was panting, begging, and completely open to Hiccup just pushing in and fucking the life out of him, but when he realized he wasn't going to get anything, he scrambled away from his life partner and quickly dressed again, feeling even more self-conscious than ever. He was starting to think Hiccup just didn't want to have sex with him, or even worse, he was turned off by him.

They talked about it, decided that maybe Jack shouldn't speak, and a week later, they were hiding behind Hiccup's school, tucked under the bleachers where they wouldn't be found, feeling naughty in more ways than just skipping class. Pressed up against the fence, Hiccup was grinding against Jack's ass again, groaning in delight until he couldn't bear to keep himself in his pants anymore. Jack's breath hitched, finally thinking they were going to get somewhere, but once Jack was exposed and a condom was in Hiccup's hand, the teen froze up again. Staring down at Jack's ass, he knew he didn't want anything other than to push into that hole and make Jack cry out, make the entire school hear them, but he just couldn't bring himself to even touch him. He wasn't disgusted, he knew the basics, and he had a condom, but... he just couldn't do it.

Jack tugged his pants back up, a bit more angry that usual, but embarrassment still lined his emotions. Once his jeans were back up and buttoned, he left, leaving Hiccup under the bleachers without a word. Hiccup went back to class, his gut heavy like he swallowed a weight and his mind swimming with questions.

The next week, Jack went to hang out with Hiccup at his house, playing video games with him again. This time, however, there was no kissing or touching, and even when Hiccup tried to initiate, Jack would just push his hands away or say he wasn't up for it. Hiccup respected this and kept his hands to himself, but he couldn't help but feel like he brought this on.

Week after week, and Jack refused any sort of sexual contact from the other, blaming a headache or a stomachache if Hiccup pressed him. The teen got more and more frustrated, both emotionally and sexually, and now he was sitting on his bed, arms crossed and frown directed at the man sitting at his desk, grinning at him.

“Your man couldn't get you off, huh?” Dagur asked with a chuckle, and Hiccup just rolled his eyes.

“Look, just... tell me how to get past this.” Hiccup begged, angry that he had to resort to Dagur once again for help—especially after how well it all ended last time—but desperate to finally sleep with his life partner.

“It's easy,” Dagur said with a shrug, “You two aren't compatible.”

“Don't be stupid, we're life partners.” Hiccup spat out, getting up from his bed and pacing his room, “It's like I get... anxious when we get too close to doing it. I just freeze up, like I don't know what to do... but I do know!”

“Yeah, right.”

“I do!” Hiccup emphasized, glaring at Dagur, “I always freeze up when he says he wants to have sex... or when I know he wants to have sex...”

“It's because you're a virgin.” Dagur supplied, getting another flat look from the brunet, “I'm being serious, Hic. What's the furthest you've gone? With anyone?”

“Just... grinding I guess...” Hiccup admitted, and Dagur made a noise like that was the problem.

“You need to get laid.”

“I'm  _trying_ to get laid! That's the problem!” Hiccup yelled, exasperated by the entire situation.

“You need to get laid by someone  _else_ . Someone who isn't important.” Dagur clarified, crossing his arms over the back of the chair that he straddled, chin resting on his arms.

“What, like you?” Hiccup snorted, but once the words were out of his mouth, the brunet realized that that was exactly what he meant. His eyes widened when Dagur grinned, and he immediately said, “No, I did not call you over here for that.”

“Who else is going to fuck you?” Dagur asked with a grin, “All your other friends are halfers. Two of them already found their life partners, too. You're not going to convince Fishlegs  _or_ Astrid to get hot and heavy with you.”

“I'll just... I'll just get a prostitute.” Hiccup stammered, cheeks red.

“Like you even have the money for that!” Dagur barked out a laugh, rolling his eyes. When Hiccup didn't reply immediately, Dagur stood up and spun the chair around, sitting on it properly. He leaned back against the backrest, planted both feet flat on the floor, then patted his thighs, silently asking Hiccup to come to him.

They stared at each other quietly, then Hiccup stood and went to him, letting Dagur pull him down into his lap so they were facing each other. The older man grunted, squeezing Hiccup's thighs, and he muttered, “You got a lot bigger, y'know. Ever since you ditched us for that lame science camp. I wonder what else got bigger...”

“Shut up,” Hiccup huffed, gripping the backrest of the chair anxiously, then letting out a breath when Dagur rolled his hips up against him. They rocked against each other, Hiccup's eyes closed and Dagur's eyes on Hiccup, watching every twitch and gasp. The more they worked against each other, the more Hiccup realized how much he needed to come, and the more desperate his actions became. He hadn't been able to get off with Jack at all for the past two months, and masturbating didn't do much for him anymore. Feeling someone else pressing up against him was setting every nerve on fire and he was  _loving_ it.

So he got off of Dagur and grabbed him by his shirt, pulling him off the chair and on top of him as he fell back against his bed. Both of them grunted, but Dagur's hands went straight to Hiccup's pants, tugging them open and yanking them down. Hiccup did the same with Dagur's but he was slower, and his hands froze when he felt Dagur grip him. He let out a moan, his head falling back against the mattress, and Dagur merely began to pump him.

“Do you at least do this much?” Dagur asked lowly, leaning down to bite at Hiccup's neck, getting a few more whimpers out of him.

“Y-yeah... sometimes,” Hiccup gasped, his hips twitching up into the man's grip. Then, he felt his pants and boxers slide completely off, and Dagur pulled a small packet of lube from his pocket, tearing it open and smearing it on his fingers. Hiccup didn't feel himself freeze up at all when he saw this, and his legs were merely pushed wider apart as Dagur prepared to press his fingers in.

They both jolted upright when they heard the front door open, however, and Hiccup nearly yelped when he heard his mother's voice announce her arrival. They both jumped off the bed, Hiccup struggling to get his pants on and Dagur trying to decide if he should hide or jump out the window. They could hear Valka ascending the stairs, and Hiccup knew they were pressed for time.

“Closet!” He hissed, shoving Dagur towards his small closet, almost tripping him in the process.

“I'm not going to fit in your tiny ass closet!” Dagur whispered back angrily, but Hiccup was able to squeeze him in, and he shut the door tightly before he jumped into his bed, not wanting to deal with his pants anymore. He pulled the covers up to his waist and rolled so his back faced the door, hoping his mother would assume he was taking a nap.

He heard his bedroom door open, and he kept still. Valka stayed silent, then called out gently, “Sweetie?” but Hiccup didn't respond.

Valka sighed loudly, then murmured to herself, “Lazy little--” but her words stopped there when she spotted something. Hiccup heard her footsteps enter his room and he closed his eyes, clenching his teeth tightly. He didn't want to give himself away.

She stopped beside his bed, but she didn't check Hiccup. Instead, she was checking the half-empty packet of lube on his floor, and she picked it up with a scoff. Her footsteps retreated back to the door and she muttered, “Absolutely disgusting, leaving their mess all over the floor. That good-for-nothing Jack...”

And his bedroom door closed. Hiccup waited a few minutes, hearing her descend the stairs now, and when he was sure it was safe, he quickly got up from his bed and went to the closet, opening it to let Dagur out.

“Looks like you're never going to get laid,” Dagur commented in a hushed voice, but Hiccup merely pushed him towards the window.

“Get out.” He ordered, “And don't you dare tell anyone.”

“Fine, fine,” Dagur grumbled, slipping out the window, but pausing so he could look at Hiccup, “But you know, with the way you were acting with me, I don't think your problem is that you're a virgin. I just think you don't want to screw your life partner.”

With that, Dagur left, and Hiccup was left to sulk over what had just happened, and what he had been totally prepared to let happen. He needed to tell Jack, but they were already tense with the whole sex thing between them...

He could hear Valka talking downstairs, and he sighed.

________________________

Jack sighed when he heard a knock on his door. He put his book down on the windowsill where he had been sitting, then got up to answer the door. When he tugged it open and found Hiccup standing there, he rose a brow.

“What time is it?” Jack asked, but Hiccup let himself in and tossed his backpack on the ground, “Correct me if I'm wrong, but you should be well into fourth period right now.”

“I skipped,” Hiccup sighed, sitting down on the couch and crossing his arms, “I wanted to talk to you.”

“You know,” Jack sighed, closing the door and rolling his eyes, “There's this remarkable device they've invented for long-distance chatting. It's called a phone.”

“ _Jack,_ ” Hiccup replied sternly, looking over at his life partner, and the man knew something serious was on his little Hiccup's mind. Jack's annoyed gaze turned to one of worry, and he went over to join Hiccup on the couch, hanging an arm around his shoulders.

“What is it, Hiccup?” Jack asked him, leaning in to give him a brief kiss on the cheek, “School troubles?”

“No,” Hiccup sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose in anxiety, “No, it's not about school, its... It's about us.”

“Us?” Jack frowned, and he began to rub Hiccup's back gently to try to relax him, “What about us?”

Hiccup stayed silent for some time, nervous about what Jack would say or do... but he had to tell him. They had to talk about their relationship, their sex life... or their lack of one. But the subject was sensitive to the both of them, for separate reasons. Still, he had to try. He turned to look at Jack face-on, glancing between his eyes.

“Jack, you know I love you,” He started, and Jack merely nodded in response, “And you know I want to be with you... I _really_ want to be with you... God, I want it so bad...”

Jack nodded again, his brows furrowing in concern, and Hiccup sighed and closed his eyes before saying, “But I.... I just keep... I keep freaking out... And I d-don't know why...”

“Hiccup,” Jack tried to calm him, but Hiccup shook his head and forced himself to continue.

“I'm just... I dunno, s-scared?” Hiccup guessed, shrugging his shoulders, “I don't want to... to mess up.”

“Hiccup,” Jack tried again, gripping his arm to get his attention, and they met eyes briefly before Jack continued, “Every time we did something... every time we were together, what did I tell you?”

Hiccup stared at him with wide eyes, filled with confusion, and when Jack didn't get a response, he merely finished for him and said, “I told you, every single time, that there's nothing wrong with messing up. I don't care if you burp the ABC's while we're doing it, I'm still going to love you. Though, honestly, I'll probably be too impressed to continue.”

Hiccup couldn't help but laugh at that, and he dropped his head against Jack's shoulder, thinking him ridiculous. He gave him a weak punch to the side, as if punishing him for making him laugh when he was being serious, but he truly appreciated it. Jack moved his hand to the back of Hiccup's neck, kissing his temple and rubbing down his spine with his thumb.

When Hiccup began to relax, Jack tilted his head up and gave him a kiss, a simple press of lips, meant to only last a few seconds. It did, and they pulled away to look at each other for a time... but then their lips found each other again, and for longer, and then a third time, for even longer, and by the time they broke away from their fourth, they found themselves laying on the couch, Hiccup underneath Jack, and their lips slicked. Hiccup looked up at the older man with half-lidded eyes, his heart pounding, and Jack looked down at him,a hopeful glint in his own gaze.

They kissed again, and Jack's hand ran down Hiccup's chest, over his shirt. Hiccup sighed against his lips, his eyes shut and his heart hammering, and when he felt Jack's hand slip underneath, he arched his back and broke away from the kiss, breathing harder. Jack kissed his chin instead, then his neck, and his hand continued creeping it way up Hiccup's chest, until his fingers rolled against his nipple. Hiccup gasped, his body rolling against Jack's light touch.

Jack smirked a bit, watching Hiccup move with his hand, and then he began to run the other one down his body, too. With one hand working his chest, the other slipped down Hiccup's pants, going straight for the prize. Hiccup's entire body jolted when Jack gripped him tight, and he moaned delightedly, his hips lifting off of the couch as Jack began to stroke him.

“Wait,” Hiccup gasped, reaching down to stop Jack's arm and try to get his attention, “Jack, w-wait, there was s-something else I wanted to tell you...”

Jack hummed questioningly, but he didn't completely stop. He kept his mouth on Hiccup's neck, sucking and nibbling marks all down it, and he earned himself a few more breathy sighs from his life partner before Hiccup could speak again, “I-I... I messed up...”

Jack sighed and he pulled away from Hiccup's neck to look him in the eye, raising a brow in curiosity, “What do you mean?”

“I-I... I just...” Hiccup stuttered, his cheeks bright red and his face filled with shame. The longer he babbled, the more Jack seemed to understand, and when he pieced two and two together, he let out a soft laugh and dropped his head down against Hiccup's shoulder.

“You messed around again, didn't you?” He guessed, and he took Hiccup's shuddering breath as a yes. Jack shook his head a bit, then looked up at Hiccup, laying himself down against the younger man's body. When he made himself comfortable on Hiccup, still able to feel the teen's halfie against his hip, Jack propped his head up with his hands folded under his chin, and he watched Hiccup glance around anxiously before he smirked.

“And what did you ask him to teach you this time?” He asked, taking it... surprisingly calmly for Hiccup's liking. Hiccup had to swallow a few times to get his vocal chords working again, and even then, his voice was rough with nervousness.

“I... I asked him why I couldn't seem to... go all the way with you without freaking out.” Hiccup replied truthfully, and Jack's smirk dropped, turning into a vague look of concern.

“And what did this... sex expert of yours say?” Jack asked next, his voice gentle. Hiccup closed his eyes, his brows knitting together, and he pressed his lips into a line.

“He said... he said I just had to sleep with someone... unimportant... first... Get the nerves out...” Hiccup told him, and Jack shook his head in disbelief.

“And... did you?” Jack asked next, watching Hiccup's expression go from anxious to guilty.

“...Almost...” He said honestly, and Jack sighed and pressed his forehead against his hands, disappointed in the teen... but relieved too. They stayed like this for a time, before Hiccup asked in a whisper, “Are you... mad at me?”

“Yes,” Jack replied immediately, but then he looked up at Hiccup and said, “But I'm relieved, too, honestly.”

Hiccup let out a hard breath, as if he had been holding it that entire time, and he brought a hand up to his face to run down in, his arm shaking a bit, “Thank God... I thought you would dump me for sure.”

Jack scoffed, shaking his head for a moment before saying, “I probably should, you two timing shit. But... I dunno. I guess I'm just glad you came and told me... And I guess I should have expected it...”

“That doesn't make it alright, though,” Hiccup sighed, “I know that. I deserve a beating from you, seriously.”

Jack scoffed, looking over Hiccup's face, then said, “I dunno... think you might like it too much...” and Hiccup couldn't help the blush that flooded his cheeks. They both laughed weakly, but the humor in them was dry. They stared at each other for a bit longer, Hiccup no longer hard and Jack feeling nervous. After a while passed, Hiccup's fingers skating up and down Jack's back, Jack spoke up in a whisper.

“Do you think he was right?” He asked, getting a confused look from the younger man, “Do you think you just need to... get the nerves out?”

Hiccup sighed through his nose, his hand pressing flat against his back and his eyes darting up to the ceiling for a moment in thought, before he shook his head, “I don't know. I mean... when we were doing... when we were getting there... I seemed perfectly okay with it. Like it really didn't matter, but... But every time so far that I've done it with you, I just get so... nervous.”

Jack pursed his lips a bit, looking away to think about it, then he asked, “Do you want to try?”

Hiccup's eyes darted down to Jack in surprise, his brows raised, and he asked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean... do you want to try sleeping with someone else? To get the nerves out?” Jack elaborated, and he could feel Hiccup's heart race, though his expression screamed anxiousness, not excitement.

“Y-you'd... you'd let me?” Hiccup asked, his hand sliding higher up Jack's back, “You're fine with that...?”

“Yeah. Under a few rules, of course.” Jack said with a shrug, “I mean, as long as you think it might help.”

They stayed quiet for a bit longer, Hiccup's eyes leaving Jack to go back up to the ceiling, deep in thought. Jack merely watched him, and after some time, decided that he should cool the tension with a few light kisses to his neck and collarbone. He could feel Hiccup's breath flow easier the more he kissed him, and when it seemed like most of Hiccup's tensions were gone, he asked softly, “What are the rules?”

Jack smiled a little, then sat up a little, straddling Hiccup's waist. He placed his hands on the teen's chest, smoothing down his shirt a few times, then he said, “First... I want to be there. For the entire thing.”

And just like that, he felt Hiccup's body heat up, and his face turned bright red. Jack smirked and leaned down, kissing his lips a few times before Hiccup wrapped a hand around the back of his neck, slipping his tongue into Jack's mouth. Jack moaned against his lips, his eyes shut and his body heating up. Hiccup was getting better at kissing, Jack knew, but he never thought the kid could heat him up with a simple kiss.

When they pulled away, Jack sat back up and bit his lip, putting his hands on Hiccup's chest to keep himself balanced, then he started rocking his hips against him. Hiccup moaned in relief, letting his head tilt back and his hips rock with him, but then he gasped out, “What's the next rule...?”

“Next rule... is...” Jack moaned and kept grinding, taking a moment to catch his breath before he continued, “It's gunna be someone I choose. It's not gunna be that Dagur kid, okay?”

“Okay,” Hiccup panted, squeezing Hiccup's thighs, but then he whispered, “Hold on, time out--”

“What is it?” Jack gasped, slowing down to a stop and sliding off of Hiccup to let the teen sit up, then he chuckled when Hiccup started undoing his pants. Jack began undoing his own, but they didn't care to tug them off completely. Once they had their dicks out, Hiccup pulled Jack back onto him and gave him a kiss before laying back down. Jack leaned over Hiccup, reaching his backpack and digging through the pockets until he found the lube he knew the boy carried with him. It was almost a common thing for Hiccup now, carrying the small packets around with him for whenever Jack decided to pick him up from school.

He tore open the packet easily and spread it over his hand, smearing them together to spread it around more, and when he thought it was good enough, he got them lined up then squeezed them together. In unison they moaned, and they started out slow, rocking their hips in time like always.

“Third rule?” Hiccup asked next through pants and groans, and Jack chuckled lightly as he continued to thrust, squeezing his hand tighter for a few seconds.

“Third rule,” He repeated, closing his eyes for a moment in bliss when Hiccup began thrusting faster, “Third rule is... if you ever want to stop, all you have to do is say. If you want, we can come up with a—oh, fuck, Hic... A-a safe-word or something.”

Hiccup chuckled and he brought his hands up to Jack's ass, squeezing him and urging him to rock harder against him. They both took a pause from the conversation to groan each other's names, Jack's hand pumping them fast, and one of Hiccup's slipping around to aid the process, and his fingers pressed circles against their tips.

“Any more?” Hiccup asked, panting hard and doing his best to get Jack to cum first, but with the way his gut was churning, he knew he wouldn't last much longer. Jack bit at his lip, looking close himself, but Hiccup knew the kind of stamina Jack could have.

“Y-yeah...” Jack panted, then his head dropped forward and he moaned in delight, “But I wanna cum first...”

“Sounds good,” Hiccup chuckled, but he wasn't smiling for long. Instead, he was groaning, and his brows knitted together. Their bodies worked faster against each other, sweat beginning to seep through their shirts. Pre-cum was dripping onto Hiccup's pelvis, leaving a small pool. They worked at each other for a few more seconds, then Hiccup gasped and started panting out his usual mantra of, “Wait, wait, J-Jack--”

But a few moments longer and Hiccup was coming on his shirt, whimpering and shaking as his hips twitched against Jack's hand, and when he was completely dry, he let out a relieved breath and collapsed against the couch, eyes popping open in relief. Jack grinned down at him, still panting and hard as ever, but he didn't keep working himself. Hiccup knew why, and he sat up with a smirk, still trying to catch his breath.

“What's the next rule?” Hiccup asked as he pushed Jack down against the couch, tugging his pants down a bit further as he kissed down Jack's exposed skin to his cock, getting a pleasant hum from the man.

“Next rule... and possibly the final rule—unless I think of more later—is that...” He frowned, then stopped Hiccup from moving on and forced him to meet his eye. When they made contact, Jack continued, “No matter what happens... if it works or if it doesn't... I'm always perfectly content just doing this with you. As far as I'm concerned, this is sex.”

Hiccup felt his stomach roll, filled to the brim with butterflies, but then he gave the man a shit-eating grin and said coyly, “Does that mean you were having sex with sixteen-year-old me? Naughty naughty, Mr. Frost.”

“You little brat,” Jack laughed, pinching Hiccup's nose for a moment, only to get a nip to his fingers when he let go. Hiccup gave him a coy smile, then he kissed his pelvis once more before he slipped his tongue along Jack's dick, getting a short sigh from the older man.

“Are those all the rules?” Hiccup asked before he slipped Jack's cock into his mouth, going down halfway before he bobbed back up, sucking lightly. Jack grunted, then nodded, and he pushed his fingers through Hiccup's hair as he watched him. Hiccup sucked a bit harder on his next motion, and when he slid back up, he popped off, letting out a quick breath.

“And you're sure you're okay with it?” Hiccup asked next, pumping Jack quickly, dragging out moans and groans with his hand, “You're not gunna... hate me if I can go through with it?”

“Hic...” Jack moaned, his hips twitching up briefly before Hiccup went back down on him, slurping him up almost desperately, as if that would keep him from saying yes. “Hic, as long as you think it'll help, I'm fine with it...”

Hiccup closed his eyes, then, and he bobbed his head a bit faster, using his hand to pump what he couldn't reach with his mouth, and he twisted his grip a few times until Jack's hand clenched his hair tight. With a yelp, Jack filled Hiccup's mouth with his cum, and the teen sucked it up gratefully, drinking almost every last drop. He pulled off with a gasp, the corners of his mouth dripping Jack's cum, and he licked at them briefly before Jack pulled him down to kiss him.

When they parted, Jack chuckled and wiped the remaining cum from Hiccup's chin, then asked, “Well? Do you wanna do it?”

Hiccup sighed, looking anxious about the whole thing, but ultimately nodded. Jack smiled a little, giving him another kiss, then he whispered, “You sure? You can change your mind any time, got it?”

“Yeah, got it.” Hiccup replied, blushing a little, “But you gotta promise me the safe word's gunna be something really cool, okay? Like... 'Dragon Tales is the shit' or... 'Dragons are totally cool shut up' or... or...”

“Hiccup, Hiccup,” Jack interrupted with a laugh, shaking his head as he tucked himself back into his pants, “It's called a safe word, not a safe phrase.”

“Aw, come on!” Hiccup whined, pouting a little, and he started tucking himself away too, though he ended up taking off his shirt and tossing it to the ground as well, since it was stained at the moment, “Well, what do you suggest?”

“How about something easy to remember?” Jack suggested with a smirk, and he tilted his head as he thought before snapping his fingers, “Tangerines!”

“Tangerines?” Hiccup scoffed, sliding up Jack's body and kissing him, “That's so dumb.”

“Yeah, well yours weren't better,” Jack chuckled, kissing him some more. Their conversation fell into silence as they kissed, but they were interrupted when Hiccup's phone began blasting the _Cops_ theme song.

The both of them groaned in dismay, and Hiccup rolled off the couch to answer it. When he did, he put it on speaker, not even looking at the ID before saying, “Hey.... mom.”

“ _Hamish Horrendous Haddick III!”_ She started off, and the both of them groaned again, knowing they were in for it. _“And don't you think I can't hear you there, Jack Frost! You both are in big trouble!”_

“Hey, don't blame me! It's not my fault your kid likes to sneak out of school!” Jack called out, only getting a loud scoff from Valka. Hiccup was grinning.

_“Please! If I knew you were such a bad influence on my boy, I would have kicked you to the curb the moment I found your sorry ass!”_

“Mom, come on!” Hiccup whined, turning away from Jack, who was trying to hold back his laughter, so that he didn't start giggling himself, “I came here for very important reasons, okay? I'm eighteen! I'm an adult now! I can make my own decisions!”

 _“Decisions?!”_ She shouted hysterically, and Hiccup grimaced, knowing that he had just said the wrong thing, _“You come home right now, young man, and I will show you what your 'decisions' will get you! And if you keep laughing, Jack, I will personally castrate you! Don't think I don't know how!”_

“Castration again, Doctor? It seems like I know your favorite pastime,” Jack called out with humor, but this didn't quell her rage.

 _“Both of you better be at home in thirty minutes, or so help me I will--!”_ She petered off into a rant, and Hiccup knew it was time to get going.

“Well,” He sighed, closing his phone and hanging up on her, knowing she wouldn't be able to get out another intelligent word that conversation, “Time to meet our maker, huh?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jack chuckled, getting up from the couch himself with a smirk, and he picked up Hiccup's shirt before he went to his bedroom, finding another for the teen to use. With Hiccup adequately dressed and Jack equipped with car keys, they left for Hiccup's house.

 


	9. Family

 “Hey, Valka?” Jack asked as he washed dishes, Valka standing on the other side of the kitchen, preparing a dessert for later, “Just... out of curiosity... Do I look old?”

Valka snorted, cutting up a few more apples before she tossed them into a saucepan, adding a little bit of syrup to help caramelize them, and as they sizzled, she looked over at Jack, “Please, you barely look a day over twenty-five.”

“You think so?” Jack asked, scrubbing a dinner plate before he set it on the drying rack, “I don't look... I dunno... forty?”

Valka rolled her eyes turning towards Jack completely, but when he didn't look at her, she put her hand on his shoulder and got his attention. When they met gazes, Valka pursed her lips and examined him closely, turning his head this way and that, then she tugged his lips apart, examining his teeth, then finally tugged his shirt up, getting a loud yelp from the man. She patted his stomach with a smirk, then pinched his cheek and said, “You're fine, Jack. Getting a few grey hairs, but hey, Hamish tends to do that to you.”

Jack laughed softly, appreciating the honesty, then he sighed and said, “Thank you.”

“Can I ask you something?” She asked, and Jack shrugged his shoulders before he nodded, turning back to his dishes, though he glanced up at her often. Valka turned back towards her saucepan and made sure her apples didn't burn, then asked, “Why are you so concerned?”

Jack looked down into the sink, slowly scrubbing a cup clean, and he shrugged his shoulders again and said, “It's just... I see Hiccup with all his friends and... I just feel so old.”

Valka laughed more, then said, “Then you should think about how Stoick and I feel. Seeing a thirty-something year old running around with our eighteen-year-old son, and here we are, a couple of fifty-something year olds sitting around the house.” she let out a dreamy sigh, waving a hand dismissively, “But, wishes are just that.”

Jack laughed softly, then said, “Yeah, well, you two are pretty impressive fifty-something year olds, you know. Stoick's a fantastic house-husband, if I do say so myself. And you, little miss surgeon!”

“I'm a doctor, Jack,” Valka laughed, but her red cheeks let him know that she was flattered, “And we are getting up there.” She sounded almost sad about it. She let out a sigh and leaned against the counter, her eyes distant now, and Jack frowned a little as he watched her.

“You okay?” Jack asked her, turning off the sink and taking one of her hands in his own. She sighed, turning her hand over and squeezing his in return, and she nodded solemnly.

“Yes, I... I will be okay.” She spoke, closing her eyes for a moment before she let go of Jack turning her attention to her apples instead. Jack watched her for a while longer, then he placed his hand on her back.

“Is there something... you want to talk about? Something on your mind?” He asked gently, hoping not to upset her by prying, but he was concerned. This woman was like a mother to him, always there for him when he needed her... and he wanted to be there for her as well. Valka looked at him with teary eyes, but she still wore her tired smile.

“It just... saddens me to think that my husband and I are in our fifties when our son is only eighteen... It makes me wonder... how much time we have with him?” She explained, and Jack pressed his lips into a line before he pulled her into a hug, getting a surprised gasp. She relaxed in his grip a few moments later, and she put her arms around him as well.

“Don't think like that, Valka...” Jack whispered to her, running a hand up and down her back, “People live well into their hundreds, right? So you'll probably end up being, like... two hundred and fifty by the time you keel over. And by then, I'm sure you would've had enough of Hamish, right?”

She laughed against his shoulder, nodding her head briefly, and then she sighed and continued the hug. Her eyes slipped close in bliss, enjoying his arms around her, his hand on her back. Though, for her own tastes, he wasn't as enveloping as Stoick was, but she wouldn't complain.

“But... if you don't mind me asking... why did you guys wait so long to have him?” Jack asked, not daring to look down at Valka to see her expression. He could feel her tense up slightly, but she relaxed soon after.

She pulled away from his arms to look him in the eye, looking uncertain, but after some time in thought, she spoke up anyways. Her voice was quiet and still very uncertain, her words constantly falling to silence, but Jack still hung on and listened as well as he could.

“We tried before... many, many times. We desperately wanted a child, even before we had been properly married to each other. Constantly, we tried for a child, but for five years, I was never able to get pregnant. We went to specialists and tried medicines, planned out my cycle and everything, but... even when I did find myself with child, it didn't seem... right. I was constantly in pain, never able to get out of bed for more than an hour, and while the doctors seemed unperturbed by it all, I knew something was wrong with my child...

“Five months in, and... I had a miscarriage. The fetus was a small... strange little thing. Even if it had been birthed properly, it would have never lived past its first breath... But still, I was distraught. Stoick and I were... utterly shaken. We knew there were always dangers, we knew there was a chance I would miscarry, but we didn't expect it to...”

She took a slow breath, closed her eyes, and calmed herself. When she came back to herself, she stood up a bit straighter and continued, “We tried again, a few years later, when the grief no longer haunted us. We were eager for a child, after all. Well, two years later and I was carrying again, and we were so sure it would be fine. I was in no pain, had the typical morning sickness, and we had carried her for seven months before... before I bled.

“It was such a horrifying thing, bleeding so late into my pregnancy. I gave birth to her in our home. In our very own bathtub, but.. she was still. I grieved for many months, thinking my womb to be a place of death, not life. Stoick was troubled, too, but I think I worried him more. I fell into depression, fearing that I would never have a child to call my own....

“It lasted a long time, my pain for this little girl. This young girl we almost had... how beautiful she could have been, Jack... I would say that to Stoick often, but I think he only ignored me... But I understand why. We were both in pain, so, so much pain... We didn't try for years after, we didn't want to go through such a commitment, only for it to end in pain and loss.

“But still, my Stoick was so romantic. He wooed me like usual, and even though we didn't plan to, I... I found myself to be carrying once again. We were terrified, of course. Horrified that this would end the same as the last two. All throughout the pregnancy, the fetus looked to be a small, frail thing. I didn't think I would even give birth to the child, but every time Stoick pressed his ear to my belly... Every time he laid with be in bed and rubbed my back he would say to me, 'My sweet Valka, this will be our first child. This child will live, and they will be the strongest there is. The happiest on Earth. The most loved person all had ever seen...' but I didn't believe a word of it. The child was nothing more than a weakling in my mind, and it would die like the others.

“And I thought my suspicions to be confirmed when I was suddenly giving birth two months early. Stoick had been at work, at the time, and though he tried his hardest to come to my side, he didn't arrive in time to see the birth... and oh, it was one hell of a birth. Nurses rushed to and fro, the doctor was sweating at the brow and I, oh, I was screaming like a banshee,” Valka laughed shyly, and Jack smiled with her as well.

“But then, when the child was out, it was like Angels themselves descended upon me. I cried for hours, I did... and when they gave me my baby... my little baby... Oh, I knew Stoick was right. He came in hours later, when the poor babe was sleeping, and we named him our little Hamish...”

“And he was all we needed,” Came Stoick's voice from the doorway, and the two of them flinched and looked towards him, then relaxed when they saw the man. Hiccup was right behind him, trying to peer over his shoulder in curiosity, wondering what was going on. Valka laughed softly, wiping a few stray tears from her eyes, then she stepped away from Jack and went to her husband, letting him wrap his large arms around her.

“And he was all we could handle,” Valka added, getting a laugh from Stoick and Jack, and Hiccup pouted and crossed his arms.

“Are you talking about me?” He huffed, glaring at his parents jokingly, “Cause as far as I know, I'm the greatest thing that's ever happened to you!”

The two of them laughed, and Jack smiled as he watched them from where he stood, all smiling and happy together like a real family. They chatted more about Hiccup as a child, mentioning how many times he had hurt himself doing stupid stunts like climbing to the very top of the jungle gym at school, only to fall through the cracks, or the time when he thought a laundry basket was suitable to slide down the steps in. Jack smiled faintly, feeling a bit of an ache in his chest as he watched them. They were all so happy, so loving... but Jack felt outside of it all. He wasn't really part of their family, anyways. He was merely a poor, unlucky guy found in a hospital...

“You are going to be the death of me, Hiccup, I know you will!” Valka laughed delightedly, reaching out and smushing Hiccup's cheeks, making him whine as he struggled out of her grip, “You and Jack! If it isn't one of you, it's the other!”

Jack's eyes shot up at her in surprise, then he gave her a confused look, which only made her laugh some more, “Oh, don't pretend to be so innocent! You nearly gave me a heart attack yourself when you and Hiccup thought it'd be funny to sneak up on me with that damned goblin mask on!”

Jack's eyes lit up in humor, and he quickly said, “Hey, whoa, that was your own son's idea! My hands are clean!” but Valka would have none of it.

“Don't lie to me, mister! It was _both_ my son's idea!” She laughed, reaching out and pinching Jack's ear in punishment, making him laugh in pain.

“Son? I don't remember any adoption papers!” Jack scoffed, and Stoick joined in on the joke.

“What are you talking about? You came from our very own loins, don't you see the resemblance?”

“Dad, gross!” Hiccup whined, only making the older man laugh in delight. They enjoyed the happy mood for a bit longer until Valka gasped, turning back to her caramelized apples in a rush to make sure they didn't burn, and when they hadn't, she sighed in relief and lifted it from the heat.

“Hamish, why don't you get us all bowls of ice cream. The vanilla kind,” She spoke up, and Hiccup went straight to the fridge, tugging it open and digging out the tub. Jack pulled down a few bowls, and Stoick carefully stepped out of the kitchen, knowing he would just clutter it up with his size if he stayed in there. While Hiccup and Jack scooped the ice cream into the bowls, Hiccup leaned against Jack and smirked at him.

“So you're my life partner _and_ my brother? Weirdo.” He chuckled, and Jack grinned wide before he shook his head.

“I'm surprised you didn't notice before. What with all the similarities. My strangely pointy face and your attractive ruggedness definitely came from the same DNA.” Jack mocked, and Hiccup laughed loudly before he could stop himself.

“Ruggedness?” He questioned, capping the tub of ice cream and putting it back, “Really? Out of all the adjectives and descriptors, you chose ruggedness?”

“Don't sass me, young man!” Jack grinned, passing the bowls to Valka so she could pour her apples over them carefully, and soon they were all sitting around the living room, Valka and Stoick on one end of the couch, and Hiccup on the other. Jack was sitting in the armrest, eating his ice cream and watching TV with everyone else, but he would occasionally glance over at Hiccup, who was halfway done with his own ice cream.

It was peaceful, nights like this, where Jack seemed so openly welcome to sit with them and eat with them. He didn't care that Valka and Stoick were there, Jack just loved spending time with Hiccup, and it was nights like this that really made him think how great it will be to live with him and have him all to himself.

Hiccup glanced over at Jack, a small smile coming to his face as though he knew what he was thinking about, then he lowered the spoon from his lips and tilted his head, a silent question. Jack smiled back, then shook his head, indicating it was nothing to worry about.

\---------------

Hiccup was eating lunch when Jack called, and he answered it as his friends around him continued to chatter about school life around him.

“Hello?” He hummed into the phone, and Jack responded with a brief hello as well.

“Busy after school tonight?” Jack asked, and Hiccup smiled and hummed negatively, getting a pleased, “Good,” from his life partner.

“Why? Got plans?” Hiccup asked next, taking another bite of his sandwich, and one of his friends looked to him curiously.

“Yeah, actually,” Jack said, and Hiccup hummed questioningly, “I found us someone I trust... If you're still up for it.”

Hiccup felt himself practically burst red, and he glanced up at his friends, noticing one of them watching him, before he got up and left the table, heading away from the crowd so their conversation wasn't overheard, “Y-yeah... Yeah, I'm... up for it. Are you?”

“Of course,” Jack replied calmly, and Hiccup could hear the smile on his face, then he reassured him, “Remember, you can change your mind any time. Just say the word and we'll pretend like it was never brought up, okay?”

“Yeah... okay...” Hiccup nodded a little, scratching at his cheek briefly before he glanced back to where his friends sat, noticing they were watching him, “Um... Just pick me up, okay? My friends are staring at me right now and it's creeping me out.”

Jack laughed lightly, then said, “Alright, I'll be where I usually am. Love you.”

“Love you too,” Hiccup said softly, hoping no one heard him. He didn't want to get mocked at the moment, too anxious about what he was going to do tonight with Jack. When he hung up, he nervously went back to his friends, and sat down quietly. They all stared at him, quiet, and when no one seemed keen to speak up, Tuffnut took it upon himself to fill the empty space.

“Dude, you look totally red. Did your life-guy just try to phone sex you?”

“God, you're so dumb,” Ruffnut, his twin sister, scoffed, shoving Tuff in the arm, “Obviously his mom just called to tell him she found the condoms.”

“You're both wrong, actually,” Astrid spoke up, a sly smirk on her lips, “Hiccup just got a call from his doctor, telling him they just refilled his birth control.”

“Oh my God, you're all jerks,” Hiccup huffed, his face even redder than before, and his friends burst into laughter at his embarrassment.


	10. Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To be honest... I couldn't think of any other character, and I didn't want to reduce his part to a blank slate character, either. I felt like he had an important role, so he deserved to be a recognizable part of one of the franchises.

“Are you sure?” Hiccup asked as he and Jack stood in front of a door at an apartment complex across town. They were in the slums, it seemed, and while Hiccup was anxious about being here, Jack looked as comfortable as ever. Everyone walked around with socks on their arms, and whenever they made eye contact with the teen, they all looked like they were ten seconds away from stabbing him in the gut. Jack kept an arm around Hiccup, making sure he didn't stray too far.

“Are you?” Jack replied, looking down at Hiccup with a serious look, “You can always--”

“Change my mind, I know. I just... I don't want you to hate me...” Hiccup sighed, crossing his arms and looking down at his shoes. Jack sighed, then pulled him closer and kissed his temple.

“I love you, Hiccup. I want to give you everything... and if this is going to help, then I'm willing to try.” Jack whispered into his ear, feeling Hiccup relax and lean against him. Hiccup swallowed thickly, his heart racing, then he sucked in a sharp breath and knocked on the door.

Jack smiled a little, then kissed Hiccup's temple and reminded him, “I'll be there the entire time. Don't be nervous.”

“I'm not nervous. I'm totally calm.” Hiccup claimed, making Jack smile a bit wider. The both of them straightened up when they heard the door unlocking, and Jack looped his arm around Hiccup's shoulder, keeping him pressed against his side.

When the door swung open, Hiccup felt his blood run cold and his heart race, and he looked anywhere but the man's face.

“Oh,” He said, leaning against the door and readjusting his arm sock, “So is this your guy?”

“Mhm,” Jack replied, rubbing his thumb against Hiccup's shoulder, “He's nervous, so go easy, okay?”

“Yeah, sure,” The guy replied calmly, then gestured for them to come inside. Jack gently lead Hiccup forward, and as they stepped inside, the guy closed the door behind them and said, “We'll do it in my bedroom, then. I cleaned it all up this morning, though, so don't worry about it.”

Jack nodded a little, steering Hiccup towards the bedroom and the guy tailing behind them. When they were all inside, the guy sat on his bed and smiled kindly, but Hiccup was still too nervous to do anything aside from standing there. Jack found himself a chair and situated it at the corner of the room, then made himself comfortable before he looked up at Hiccup.

“So what's your name?” The guy asked, and Hiccup glanced to Jack briefly, as if asking for permission, but Jack only smiled at him.

“H-hamish...” Hiccup replied, “Um... but everyone calls me Hiccup, so...”

“Yeah?” The guy replied, leaning back on his bed, “Are you comfortable with me calling you that as well?”

Hiccup twiddled his thumbs anxiously, only barely looking up at the guy, and he nodded, getting another warm smile from him.

“Well, _my_ friends call me Nightlight. You can call me that, too, if you want.” He mentioned, and Hiccup took in a slow breath before he nodded.

“Okay... Nightlight....” He whispered awkwardly, getting a laugh from the other two.

“You don't have to be nervous. Jack told me everything already. If you say stop, I stop.” Nightlight reassured him, then he scooted over a little and patted the space beside him, “Sit with me. It's okay.”

Hiccup glanced between Nightlight and Jack, and when Jack nodded at him, he took a slow breath and sat down on the bed, practically on the corner. He kept his hands to himself, his eyes downcast, and his lips pressed into a line, uncomfortable and a little more than worried, but he didn't want to not try. Nightlight watched him quietly, unsure if Hiccup would be making the first move, but when he decided that he wouldn't, he took a slow move towards Hiccup, placing a hand on his knee. He could feel Hiccup tense up beneath his fingertips, so he kept it there, and didn't move it higher until Hiccup relaxed.

When he did, Nightlight moved a little closer, then said in a soft voice, “Hey, you don't have to be so tense... I'm not gunna hurt you.”

“I-I know, but--” Hiccup stammered, only to be interrupted by Jack from the corner.

“It's okay, Hiccup. Just do what feels right.”

Hiccup and Jack met eyes, and Jack gave him a reassuring smile. Hiccup stared at him for a bit longer, then took a long, slow breath before he turned to face Nightlight. Now that he was finally looking at him, he could see how young this man looked, compared to Jack. His hair was a crisp white, like he had bleached it, and he wore an entire ensemble of black, including his arm sock. His clothes were simple, but old, and rather worn for someone so young...

But that was unimportant, Hiccup realized. This man was unimportant to him. He was only a tool Hiccup needed to use to be able to be intimate with Jack... and Hiccup had to give it a chance.

He took in a sharp breath, steeling himself for what he wanted to do, then he leaned in and sealed his lips over Nightlight's. The guy grunted in surprise, his eyes wide, but Hiccup squeezed his own shut. After a few seconds of this, Nightlight returned to himself, and he turned his head a little to get more comfortable before he returned the kiss. Hiccup kept his eyes shut tight, which was fine enough for Nightlight, who pulled away from the chaste kiss to bite at his bottom lip.

“Open up?” He whispered, and Hiccup obeyed anxiously, his breath ragged when he felt their lips barely brushing against each other. When he opened his mouth for Nightlight, the man smiled and thanked him with another nip, then he pressed his tongue inside, making Hiccup groan from the feeling. The guy had a piercing on his tongue, Hiccup realized, and it clicked against his teeth as they made out. He felt hyperaware of everything, the way Nightlight's breath came from his nose, how the bed creaked as Nightlight leaned against him, the taste of cigarettes and alcohol on his tongue, and his hands sliding up Hiccup's thighs, towards his groin. His pulse was racing, and he was starting to stand at attention, but then he picked up on a noise that made all the pleasure turn to anxiety.

Jack sucked in a sharp breath, surprised to find himself... a bit turned on by this. But Hiccup yanked away only a moment later, bringing a hand up to his lips and turning his head down in shame. His ears were ringing and he felt guilt bubble up inside of him, and he could hear Nightlight shift as he looked back at Jack, as if asking him what to do. No words were exchanged, but Jack gestured for Nightlight to continue, and the man merely nodded before he turned back to Hiccup.

“You're still tense, huh?” Nightlight whispered, leaning in to kiss Hiccup's cheek, then his neck, and the more he kissed and nipped at his skin, the more Hiccup sat up to receive them. When Hiccup's breath was heavy again, Nightlight smiled and whispered, “Let me blow you, huh? Calm your nerves a little.”

“B-but--” Hiccup stammered, but Nightlight didn't let him finish. He gave him a quick kiss to the lips, then slid off the bed and tugged Hiccup's pants open, reaching in to yank out his half hard cock.

“Don't worry, I won't make you cum,” Nightlight promised him, “Not until after we go all the way, of course. I just want to get you into it, okay?”

Hiccup's breath shuddered, but he eventually nodded, and Nightlight shot him a kind smile before he pulled out a condom from his pocket. Hiccup shifted nervously as he tore open the packaging and rolled it into Hiccup's dick, but once he was fully covered, Nightlight wasted no time in deep-throating him.

“A-Ah—Oh my God...!” Hiccup whined, his hips squirming from the suddenness of Nightlight's actions, then he yelped and jerked his hips up when he felt Nightlight swallow around him. His hand flew to Nightlight's hair, gripping tight, and he let out a pitiful whimper when he swallowed again, “H-h-how are you doing that?!”

Nightlight merely moaned around him in response, his eyes twinkling with humor, but then he closed them and started to bob his head, letting Hiccup grip his hair as tight as he could and set the pace to what he wanted. Soon he was fucking into Nightlight's mouth, his breath coming in sharp pants and his hips lifting off the bed.

Meanwhile, Jack sat back in his seat, his eyes glued to the two of them, and seeing his Hiccup act so desperate, even if it wasn't with Jack, turned out to be a rather huge turn-on. In fact, being a 'third wheel' let Jack watch Hiccup so much better, noticing how his adam's apple bobbed when he moaned, or the way his eyes barely opened as he whimpered for more. His shoulders shook the more Nightlight pleasured him, but this wasn't anything new for Hiccup. Jack had blown him before, without a condom in fact, but still, Jack figured it would be best for Nightlight to work up to the big finale. In the meantime... Jack figured it would be rude if he didn't at least relieve himself. With a smirk, Jack undid his own pants and let himself out, and while Hiccup didn't notice, Nightlight glanced over, looking him over before his eyes crinkled at the edges, indicating a smirk. Jack replied silently with his own grin, and he slowly began to pump himself.

Hiccup gasped and whined a little when Nightlight pulled away from him, and the man laughed softly at how he acted. He rose up on his knees, his hands on Hiccup's thighs, and he kissed the man softly, getting an eager sigh in response. Nightlight wanted to wring it out for a bit longer, but Hiccup was the one to press his tongue in this time, and he took control of the kiss. Nightlight willingly let him, finding out soon enough that he was a biter when he was turned on, and when they finally broke away, Nightlight was sure his bottom lip would be swollen well into the morning. He didn't let it get to him, though. He had business to tend to.

“Do you want me, Hiccup?” Nightlight panted, sliding his hands up and down the teen's thighs, his eyes locked with green ones, “Do you want to fuck me?”

“No,” Hiccup panted, his eyes growing desperate, “I... I need you to fuck me...”

Jack bit down on his lip hard to keep from groaning.

“Yeah?” Nightlight whispered next, knowing from what Jack had told him before all of this that this was a good indicator that they were actually getting somewhere, “You want me to pin you down? You want me to press into you, sliding right in and pressing against every sensitive spot you have inside?”

“Yes...” Hiccup all but begged, watching as Nightlight rose from his knees to his feet, and they slowly leaned back against the bed. Nightlight pushed Hiccup a bit higher on the mattress, then continued to tug his pants down, freeing his legs from them and tossing them aside. Hiccup smiled a little, his mind running on instinct, and his instincts yelling at him to hurry up and get laid. When Nightlight wasn't moving fast enough to get the lube, Hiccup whined and started tugging his boxers down, surprising both Nightlight and Jack, though neither of them stopped him. In fact, Nightlight encouraged him with a light laugh, and finally grabbed the lube from his nightstand.

“Do you want to be naked?” He asked him, running a dry hand up Hiccup's bare thigh, feeling him shudder.

“No,” Hiccup panted, shaking his head briefly, his eyes glued to Nightlight's hands as he popped open the bottle and poured the lube over his fingers, “No, I... I just want you to hurry...”

“We're in no rush, Hiccup,” Nightlight said calmly, rubbing the lube between his fingers in a weak attempt to warm it, then he traced them down Hiccup's stomach, and over his cock, making him squirm in desire. “We have all night, so don't worry...”

“But _still..._ ” Hiccup whined, lifting his hips when Night's fingers ghosted over his tip, only to run down the underside of his cock. He pressed his fingers against Hiccup's sack, getting another whimper from him, then continued down, between his legs.

Jack leaned forward in his seat, his hand leaving his own cock for a moment to watch carefully. He was there to make sure Hiccup was comfortable, after all, and he was preparing himself for the moment for his little life partner to yell stop or to push Nightlight away... but all he saw was Hiccup spread his legs further, and all he heard was the slick, blood-boiling noise of Nightlight's finger pressing in, and the breathy moan of his life partner finally having something inside of him. He saw Hiccup's hand shoot up to Nightlight's shoulder, his nails digging into skin as he pressed his finger further in, and Nightlight's grin widened.

“More,” Hiccup was already moaning, his cheeks bright red and his gaze distant, “Please...”

“Of course,” Nightlight responded obediently, though he put off adding another finger until he was able to slip the first in and out smoothly. When he did add a second finger, Hiccup's nails dragged down Nightlight's arm, creating red lines across his skin, and his other hand clenched the bedsheets tightly.

“ _More_.” He pleaded again almost instantly, and Nightlight glanced back at Jack to make sure he was still okay with this. As far as Nightlight knew, they had just proven a point. Hiccup had just been nervous, and wasn't merely picky about sleeping with Jack... but when Jack met his eye, he nodded for him to continue, a sparkle of lust in his gaze.

So he was enjoying himself, Nightlight realized with a grin, what a pervert.

“Doesn't it hurt?” Nightlight asked Hiccup as he pumped two fingers in the teen, and Hiccup shook his head before hesitating, and nodding instead.

“B-but only a little...” He explained, his glazed eyes darting down to Nightlight, “It only... sorta feels nice...”

“Yeah, it'll take a little to get used to,” Nightlight nodded, then he patted Hiccup's hip before saying, “But I have an idea. Here, get up.” and he removed his fingers from him, making him whine a little.

“Come on, get up!” Nightlight grinned, “Get on your hands and knees. I promise you'll like it. Most customers do.”

Hiccup hesitated for a bit longer, enjoying the comfort that came with laying down, but he eventually did as he was told and got onto his hands and knees, looking over his shoulder to watch as Nightlight knelt bent down behind him, kissing his hips, then his spine, then his tail bone. Hiccup sighed when he felt the two fingers slip inside of him again, and he bit down on his lip as they worked him open.

He let out a yelp when he felt something even wetter press against his hole, and almost immediately it was gone.

“Is it okay?”Nightlight asked, still working his two fingers in Hiccup.

“W-what was it?” the teen asked, his face bright red as he looked at Nightlight, making him chuckle. Without another word, Nightlight licked his lips and went back down, letting Hiccup watch as he licked him again, stirring another surprised gasp from the brunet. Nightlight continued to lick as Hiccup moaned, and soon enough the brunet stammered out, “B-b-but isn't it... disgusting...?”

“Nah,” Nightlight replied after one more lick, and he tossed a bottle up the bed, landing just below Hiccup's chest so he could look at it, “That stuff makes it taste fine. Almost like eating cake or something.” He chuckled, and Hiccup shakily picked up the bottle, attempting to read it before he gasped and dropped it back onto the mattress. Nightlight pressed his tongue inside, and all Hiccup could do was shutter and whimper. He could still feel Nightlight's fingers sliding in and out of him, stroking along his insides, though it didn't take long for Hiccup to start begging for more once again.

“So greedy,” Nightlight teased as he pulled his tongue away from the teen, kneeling upright and still finger-fucking him, though he had added two more up to this point. He leaned over the teen, making sure he could feel him along his back and he held himself up with one hand on the bed as he continued to rock his fingers into his body, “Look at you... taking it all so desperately... I wish I could keep you for myself...”

Hiccup moaned to his words, working his hips back in an effort to get him deeper, and he got another chuckle from the man on top of him.

“You like it?” He asked softly, and Hiccup whimpered as he nodded, feeling so desperate and horny he was surprised he could even understand his words. “You want more?” Nightlight asked next, and Hiccup nodded furiously, knowing what the next step would be already. He still felt Nightlight's fingers working inside of him when he heard the condom wrapper tear open, and after a few more seconds, Nightlight's fingers left him.

Hiccup was panting hard, trying to catch his breath so he didn't grow lightheaded when it finally reached what he was craving for, and he slowly lifted his head, looking at the bottle below him, to Nightlight's hand, returning to its spot where it held him up with an empty condom wrapper between his fingers, and then Hiccup's eyes darted up to Jack in the chair, situated at the corner of the room. He had his cock out, but he wasn't stroking himself. Instead, he was leaning forward, his eyes serious and meticulous as he watched, and when they locked eyes, Hiccup felt that familiar feeling of dread creep into him. The feeling came with a thought, which burned Hiccup's stomach like a hot coal.

_He'll see me like this._

Hiccup barely had a second to think about it before he felt Nightlight pressing against him, and just like the many, many times before, Hiccup felt his entire body grow cold. His ears began to ring in panic, and he yelled louder than necessary, “Stop! Stop, p-please!”

Within seconds, Hiccup found himself in Jack's arms. His head was pressed against Jack's chest, and he was surprised to find himself shaking. Nightlight was standing at the other side of the room, watching them as Jack consoled the younger man, kissing the top of his head gently between comforting whispers.

“I-I'm sorry,” Hiccup found himself blubbering out, clinging to Jack as if the man would let him go.

“Hush, Hic, it's okay. We agreed to this, remember? I won't be angry,” Jack reassured him quietly, rubbing his back through his shirt, slowly calming him down.

“I-I looked at you and I... couldn't...” Hiccup tried to explain, and Jack had to admit, the words made him consider the worst. He closed his eyes as he kissed Hiccup's head again, trying to ignore his own pain for now to comfort his life partner.

“It's okay,” He whispered again, petting his hair now, “I still... I still love you.”

“I'm sorry, Jack... I feel like I...” Hiccup whimpered, but Jack shushed him gently.

“No, don't apologize. It's not your fault... it's...” mine. Jack could only blame himself, after all. He had somehow drilled it into Hiccup's mind that all he wanted was sex, and here his life partner was, forcing himself to be intimate with a man he obviously had no sexual attraction for. But he didn't want Hiccup to feel guilty. He didn't want him to push himself even further, “It's not your fault.”

Hiccup nodded slightly, clinging to Jack tightly, and after some time of enjoying Jack's gentle touches on his back and through his hair, he finally whispered, “I want to go home...”

“Okay. We'll go right now.” Jack replied immediately, and Nightlight was quick to grab Hiccup's clothes from around the room, tossing them to Jack who helped the teen dress himself. When Hiccup was decent enough, they stood and began leaving Nightlight's apartment. The man didn't say goodbye to them. He wasn't sure if it would only make Hiccup more uncomfortable.

When they reached Jack's car, Hiccup paused and looked at the older man, “I want to go home...”

“I'm taking you home, Hic. We'll be there in twenty minutes, promise.” Jack reassured him, opening the car door for him and letting him slip inside, but before he could close the door, Hiccup looked up at him again.

“I want to go home with you...” He reiterated, and he could see Jack tense before he nodded.

“...Okay.” He murmured, waiting for Hiccup to sit inside properly before he shut the door. He went to the other side of the car and slipped in, then, and started up the engine. The drive to Jack's apartment was shorter, but it was quiet. Only the radio played, and even then, it seemed too tense inside the car. The two of them were lost in thought, too concerned with what had just transpired to start up a conversation.

Jack was convinced now that Hiccup didn't actually want a physical relationship. He knew there were people out there like that, people who didn't care for sex or anything related to it... but the thought of it all made him feel queasy. Not because he wouldn't be having sex, but because Hiccup seemed to have been trying so hard to please Jack that he had been stepping far out of his comfort zone. Jack never intended to make Hiccup believe all he wanted was sex, but here they were. He wanted to fix it. He wanted to make sure they talked about this, and Jack wanted to make Hiccup realize that all he wanted was his love, with or without physical pleasure.

Hiccup, on the other hand, merely replayed the single thought that had crashed through his mind moments before he called it all off. That short phrase he had thought to himself seemed to explain everything, including why Hiccup was so ready to have sex with anyone but Jack. The truth, or what Hiccup believed to be the truth, made him feel... silly. He was already planning a solution to the problem, but he wasn't sure how the other would take it. He knew it could be seen as kinky or disgusting, but... he felt like this might be the foot in the door to their sex life. He could only hope that Jack would be as on board as he was with this mess of a night...

With their thoughts straightened out, the both of them decided that they would have to have a talk about this soon, and with that set aside for now, they arrived at Jack's apartment. Quietly, they went up the stairs, and while Jack heated up some water for tea on the stove, Hiccup took a shower to wash away that night's strangeness. By the time he was done, the tea was ready, and they curled up in Jack's queen-sized bed, the TV on low and tea warming their stomachs.

They didn't talk more than bidding each other a good night when they decided to sleep.

 


End file.
